
There is an increasing urgency to protect pollinator species and their habitats. Bees, hoverflies and butterflies are crucial for food production and the functioning of ecosystems. In order to protect these crucial players in biodiversity, knowledge is essential, and the Pollinator Academy brings this knowledge together offering integrated taxonomic tools and information on European pollinators.
What is thePollinator Academy?
The Pollinator Academy is an online platform specifically created to address the shortage of taxonomic expertise on pollinators in Europe. Developed by Naturalis as part of the EU-funded SPRING project, it serves as a central hub for learning about European bees, hoverflies, and butterflies. This user-friendly website offers a wealth of information and tools, including detailed factsheets with images, free online lessons, and a search engine to find relevant taxonomic resources for specific countries or regions. The Academy acknowledges the significance of knowledge dissemination and has developed a trainer portal that provides educators with learning materials they can use in their learning activities. The Pollinator Academy is one of the tangible results of the European Pollinator initiative which aims to address the decline of pollinators in Europe. The Academy's mission is to cultivate a new generation of experts and field workers.
What isits objective?
The Pollinator Academy's main objective is to disseminate knowledge and tools essential for pollinator identification, thereby facilitating access to taxonomic information and training materials. The platform's accessible interface and consistent updates have led to its recognition as an indispensable tool for scientists, students, and nature enthusiasts.
The identification of diverse pollinator species poses a significant challenge. This was the reason why the learning platform was launched during the SPRING project, and why it is still being developed during the EPIC project. A number of prominent scientific institutes throughout Europe are engaged in the active development of various identification tools and teaching materials. The Pollinator Academy is a valuable resource that supports European Member States to develop taxonomic expertise within their respective countries in an efficient and professional manner.
Subprojects
The European Union is committed to reversing pollinator decline by 2030, as outlined in the Nature Restoration Law. Since 2018, Naturalis has played a significant role in various projects launched by the EU Commission to support this critical commitment.
SPRING
The SPRING project (Strengthening Pollinator Recovery through Indicators and Monitoring) ran from 2021 to 2023. It aimed to support the preparation of the EU Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (EU-PoMS) for wild bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and moths, using both professional and volunteer recorders. One of its deliverables was building the capacity of citizen science networks on pollinators across Europe and organizing taxonomic training for the next generation of European taxonomists. The Pollinator Academy was one of the tangible results from this project.


EPIC
EPIC (European Pollinator Identification Courses) is a two-year project that will run from 2025 to the end of 2026. Building on the SPRING project, EPIC's primary objective is to deliver targeted training activities, thereby establishing a robust network of skilled para-taxonomic experts across all 27 EU Member States in support of the future implementation of the EU-Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (EU-PoMS). The Pollinator Academy again, plays an important role in the EPIC project by making taxonomic tools and training materials available and easily accessible.

Wie werkenaan dit project?
Partners:
Over 20 European institutes are involved in the EPIC project and continue to contribute to the further development of the tools and resources available via the Pollinator Academy.