WWF launches pollinator-friendly planting campaign in Bucharest

WWF Romania has launched a series of planting initiatives in Bucharest aimed at supporting declining pollinator species, joining forces with local environmental groups to transform urban green spaces into habitats for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. The first intervention took place on November 1 in the 400 sqm garden of the Museum of Maps, an area revitalized by Club Clorofila, an urban ecology group that converts public institutions’ green spaces into community gardens.

The planting campaign included relocating about 100 existing perennial plants, adding 30 new perennials, and placing 135 spring bulbs, all selected for their ecological value to pollinators, WWF said. The effort was supported by volunteers from Telus Digital Romania and Spring Farma.

The project will continue in spring 2026 with the sowing of native wild plants to provide food sources throughout the year.

WWF said the goal is to boost the diversity and abundance of flowering species that can sustain a wide range of pollinators while offering city residents new opportunities to engage with nature in an urban setting.

The initiative builds on WWF’s BeeActive program, launched in 2021 to push for national policies protecting pollinators. A petition linked to the campaign gathered over 14,000 signatures calling for a ban on harmful pesticides, the expansion of green habitats, and public awareness programs.

Scientists warn that pollinators are critical to both food security and ecosystem health, with three-quarters of crops depending at least partly on their activity. Research cited by WWF shows steep population drops across Europe: 37% of bee species are declining, including more than 9% at risk of extinction, while 31% of butterfly species face similar decline. Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change are identified as key drivers.

Barbara Bendandi, Conservation Director at WWF-Romania, said: “Protecting pollinators is essential not only for ecosystem health but also for food security. Through these urban interventions, we aim to bring nature closer to people and contribute concretely to restoring biodiversity in cities. It is an important step toward implementing the Nature Restoration Law and the European Pollinators Initiative.”

According to Cătălina Bolozan, Founder of Club Clorofila, the gardens of public institutions in Bucharest amount to 285 hectares of green space. “That means roughly 570 pocket parks,” she said.

(Photo source: WWF, by Lavinia Cioacǎ)