The issues

1 Pollinators as indicators of ecosystem fragility

Humankind benefits from a multitude of resources and processes that are supplied by ecosystems. Collectively, these benefits are known as ecosystem services and include products like clean drinking water and processes such as the decomposition of wastes. While scientists and environmentalists have discussed ecosystem services for decades, these services were popularized and their definitions formalized by the United Nations' 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a four-year study involving over a thousand scientists worldwide. This grouped ecosystem services into four broad categories: provisioning, such as the production of food and water;  regulating, such as the control of climate and disease; cultural, such as spiritual and recreational benefits and supporting, such as nutrient cycles.Crop pollination falls into the first and latter categories of ecosystem services. Indeed, it has been estimated that wild pollinators are needed for about three-quarters of global food crops. The decline of honeybee colonies due to disease and pesticides has prompted serious concern and led to authoritative statements such as them being described as "the species charged with protecting global food security". This issue is one that citizens as local insect activists can address in their gardens, parks and streets by growing nectar-rich flowers in a nectar point network.

2  Building ecological resilience through gardening

We are all part of Nature in everything we do. At the height of the recession, 65% of the over 25s with gardens visited at least one garden centre a year. This is a measure of our need for contact with other living beings.   In this sense, gardening for pollinators requires only a slight shift in an existing widespread desire to dwell in harmony with Nature.  However, over the years there have been many abortive schemes to wild-up gardens.  Most were supported by funds given to a central body to dispense.  They have all failed to root and spread because of dependence on short-term funding.  The idea behind the Nectar Point Network is a country-wide sharing of knowledge and experiences between local community cells or hubs.  It is envisaged that each hub has to organise as a self-sustaining social unit with its own action plan and funding to draw in its neighbours. Success will come from each hub building the capacity for  long-term resilience.