A CONSERVATION project is helping to bring wildflower habitats back to life.
Get Cumbria Buzzing Not Buffering is led by Cumbria Wildlife Trust and funded by Fibrus.
The initiative has created 15 wildflower sites across West Cumbria, the Lakes, Eden, Brampton, and Barrow over the past three years.
Tanya St Pierre, grassland and pollinator team manager at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: "It has been a fantastic project.
"It has enabled us to work with communities and work towards our goal of reversing the decline in our native pollinators."
The project received £150,000 in funding from broadband provider Fibrus.
Hundreds of people have planted more than 15,000 young wildflower plants, distributed 2,000 packets of wildflower seeds, and scattered more than 50kg of wildflower seed across the sites.
More than 3,800 bulbs were also planted.
The project is already making an impact, with more sightings of the rare small blue butterfly in West Cumbria.
Rare small blue butterfly has returned to Cumbria as a result of the project (Image: Charlotte Rankin)
Ms St Pierre said: "Over the last 50 years the UK has lost 97 per cent of lowland meadows and only one per cent of our upland hay meadows remain.
"We have around 270 species of wild bees in the UK and 13 have gone extinct since 1900.
"Roughly a third of the remaining wild bee species are in decline with 35 species at risk of extinction.
"Without the wild pollinators we wouldn't have many of the foods and fruits we eat."
Fibrus employees joined planting days in Brampton, Lowther, Croftlands in Ulverston, and Whitehaven.
Colin Hutchinson, managing director at Fibrus, said: "Wildflower meadows and the insects, birds, and animals they support are a natural treasure we must work together to protect.
"We are delighted to have helped create these 15 wildflower sites, amounting to just over three hectares of this endangered habitat."
The investment from Fibrus is part of Project Gigabit, the UK Government's programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach communities.
Stephen Trotter, CEO of Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: "It's fundamental we ensure that pollinators don't decline any further.
"They provide the food that we eat, and they help to provide the healthy ecosystems that make this planet function.
"Projects like this, and support from partners like Fibrus, help us to connect with communities, and show a way to build a better future.
"We thank Fibrus for its commitment over the past three years."