Extinction Bees PIC
Members of Extinction Rebellion Wimborne gathered in the centre of Wimborne last Saturday with the message ,Stop Spraying, Save Our Bees,, ,We Want A Pesticide Free Town, and ,What’s Wrong With A Few Weeds?,
Wimborne residents recently witnessed Dorset Council spray weeds along pavements and roads outside their homes. One such was James Bullock, a Professor of Ecology, who feared the council might be using glyphosate.
He contacted the council and received a reply from the Greenspace Team East confirming the council does indeed spray glyphosate. The Greenspace Team East said glyphosate was approved by the EU in 2017 after assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
Professor Bullock said: “Since EU approval was given for the use of glyphosate, evidence of harm has accumulated – harm to honeybees, harm to bumblebees, harm to river and pond life. Dorset Council declared an ecological emergency in May 2019.
“Why are they still spraying glyphosate?”
Concerns have been raised by researchers about the harm glyphosate does to pollinators, and to aquatic organisms, and the World Health Organisation has said glyphosate is a probable carcinogen, in other words a probable cause of cancer.
“We are urging residents to complain to Dorset Council on their ‘Comments, compliments and complaints’ webpage about their continuing use of glyphosate, and to alert their Dorset councillor to their concerns,” added Professor Bullock.
“It’s very worrying that Dorset Council is continuing to use this highly controversial pesticide in and around a town like Wimborne, situated on a flood plain with its two rivers and local wildlife,” said Sir William Hanham of Deans Court.

We face a 4massive insect decline across Europe and indeed across the world. Insects are losing habitat, they are losing food sources. 5UK flying insects have declined by nearly 60 percent in less than 20 years, and 640 percent of insects worldwide are threatened with extinction. Bees are essential to humans as they pollinate our food.

“Our towns, villages and gardens are vital for pollinators and spraying glyphosate is likely to be harmful to them. Safe, more sustainable and cheaper alternatives are used in 7‘Pesticide Free Towns’,” said Professor Bullock.

Dorset Council also sprays glyphosate on SANGS (suitable alternative natural green space) including By-The-Way, and within towns and villages across Dorset.