Ballyhoura Development CLG is proud to be one of the 14 European partners contributing to PolliConnect, a groundbreaking €7.1 million initiative focused on restoring wild pollinator populations across North-West Europe.

The project is co-funded by the Interreg North-West Europe programme and brings together organisations from six countries to deliver scalable, evidence-based solutions for pollinator recovery.

Padraig Casey, CEO of Ballyhoura Development CLG, said: ''Ballyhoura Development, is excited to lead Ireland’s contribution to the PolliConnect project. This is an ambitious and vital initiative to restore pollinator populations across Europe. The collaboration reflects our deep commitment to biodiversity, sustainable habitat management, and empowering communities to take meaningful action for nature. Through innovation, education, and partnership, we look forward to helping shape a future where pollinators thrive and ecosystems are reconnected for generations to come."

PolliConnect’s Ambitious Goals

Over the next 54 months, PolliConnect will deploy a range of innovative solutions to restore pollinator habitats, aiming to:

• Increase pollinator biodiversity indicators by 20% in pilot zones.
• Establish and test 8 Living Labs in 6 countries to develop scalable restoration models.
• Pioneer cutting-edge tools, including AI-powered wild bee monitoring cameras.
• Engage and train community garden managers, farmers, and citizens in pollinator-friendly practices.
• Provide evidence-based data and guidelines to inform public policy and enable replication across Europe.

Official Project Launch in France

The official launch event will bring together the consortium in Pas-de-Calais (France) on 18–19 June 2025, marking the start of an ambitious journey to reconnect fragmented landscapes and empower local action for pollinators.

The PolliConnect consortium is composed of 14 partners from six countries: the Flemish Land Agency (VLM), Brussels Environment, Ghent University and the Province of West Flanders from Belgium; Ballyhoura Development CLG from Ireland; the Senator for Environment, Climate and Science – Free Hanseatic City of Bremen and INOVA DE from Germany; the Department of Pas-de-Calais, PLANETE Vegetables, Flowers and Plants, and EFREI University of Paris from France; FiBL – Research Institute of Organic Agriculture from Switzerland; and Naturalis Biodiversity Center, the Province of Fryslân, and the Municipality of Middelburg from the Netherlands.

PolliConnect is backed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with €4.1 million in co-funding, highlighting Europe’s commitment to collaborative, nature-based solutions.

Find out more about the Polliconnect Project: 

Polliconnect Project