Beyond Buzzwords: How Bees can drive human change
Pollinators such as bees are crucial to life on earth, with 84% of EU crops and 80% of wildflowers relying on insect pollination. However pollinators have declined by as much as 70% and we continue to lose 3% of our bee population each year.
Within the Capgemini AIE we wanted to explore this problem and have already written three blogs on our work, exploring the need for the project, how we used machine learning to decode ‘the Bee Waggle Dance’ and a piece on the challenges we faced running the project. In this final blog we explain what we built from a technical perspective.
Building a Sustainable Ecosystem: The Vision
Our vision was to create a tool capable of assimilating a diverse range of data, starting with biodiversity data from plants. This initial phase aimed to provide insights into what a specific area requires. Crucially, we designed the tool to be expandable, allowing for future incorporation of data from bees, moths, or other pollinators as their behaviours became decodable.
Get the Seeds Your Area Needs
To support our vision, we developed a seed prescriber — an innovative tool leveraging APIs, prominently iNaturalist. Users can seamlessly search and identify the most suitable seeds for their area. Upon selection, a link directs them to purchase the seeds on the Pollenize website, accompanied by a standard booster pack. You can see the seed prescriber in the video below or at:
https://www.pollenize.org.uk/seed-prescriptions
Data Capture
Those who purchase seeds receive packets with QR codes. These codes, when scanned, log the user’s location and initiate data collection. Users are encouraged to join the re-wilding community, unlocking badges, benefits, and insights into their impactful contributions. The journey is meticulously designed to ensure continuous data collection and minimise information loss.
https://www.pollenize.org.uk/rewilding-tool
Storing this data
Recognising the need for efficient QR code management, we introduced a QR mapping tool. This tool empowers Pollenize to allocate seeds on a per-packet basis, automatic allocation through website orders, or as part of bulk orders. This flexibility allows targeted seed distribution to various entities, fostering competition and driving results.
Visualisation Dashboard
To enhance Pollenize’s ability to comprehend and visualise their data, we crafted a user-friendly dashboard using Google’s Looker. Its drag-and-drop interface ensures ease of use, empowering Pollenize to adapt data for individual clients, such as schools.
Expanding on our use of QR codes, we designed a unique billboard art installation composed of dead flowers and insects. Placed strategically in a London location, this artistic piece served as a creative means to drive traffic.
Creating a new landing page
To showcase the project’s progress, we developed a new landing page featuring live data through Looker Studio, an interactive map illustrating planting success across the UK, and space for new companies, interested parties, and individuals to sign up.
https://www.pollenize.org.uk/start-rewilding
Conclusion
With a relatively modest budget, we’ve explored and tested multiple approaches to champion the cause of re-wilding. We managed to double the data collected over a four-year period, in just a few weeks towards the end of summer. As we eagerly await the next spring, the key partnerships forged by Pollenize are poised to propel this initiative even further.
If you find our journey intriguing and wish to learn more about us or the project, feel free to reach out to either myself or a member of the AIE:
