Butterfly is built around 9 Work Packages (WPs), each addressing a vital part of the puzzle to protect pollinators and ensure a resilient future for biodiversity, agriculture, and society.
Here’s what each WP focuses on:
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WP1: Ecological Data and Modelling
We are building the most comprehensive map ever of plant-pollinator interactions across Europe and beyond. This includes both well-known and lesser-known pollinators, such as certain insects, birds and bats. We are creating EuroAPPA, a real-time European Atlas of Plant-Pollinator Associations, using a mix of old data sources, new fieldwork, and modern modelling tools. This living knowledge base will lay the groundwork for better conservation and policy decisions.
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WP2: Valuing What Pollinators Provide
Pollinators provide essential services—many of them hard to put a price on. This work package looks at both the monetary and non-monetary value of pollination, from food production to human culture, well-being, and ecosystem health. We also develop tools to help integrate these values into national accounting systems, so they can better inform future policies.
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WP3: Modelling Economic “Butterfly Effects”
What happens to our economies if pollinators continue to decline? We study the bigger picture of pollinator decline—how it could ripple through entire economies and affect industries, and public well-being. Using innovative computer models that combine ecological and economic data, we look at different countries, timeframes, and policy scenarios to better prepare for future challenges.
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WP4: Building Resilience in Supply Chains
From food and medicine to cosmetics and bioenergy, many of the products we rely on depend on pollinators. WP4 develops new ways to measure how vulnerable these supply chains are—and how to make them stronger.
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WP5: Tools for Mainstreaming Pollinator Stewardship
We don’t just study pollinators—we help people act. This WP designs decision-support tools, maps, and guidelines tailored to farmers, policymakers, businesses, and others—turning scientific knowledge into practical solutions for everyday decisions.
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WP6: People, Culture, and History
Pollinators matter not just for ecosystems, but also for our culture, traditions, and sense of responsibility. WP6 explores the social, cultural, and historical roots of pollinator decline—and how we can inspire change. We examine concepts like eco-literacy, care ethics, historical agency, and slow hope, aiming to build awareness, responsibility, and empowerment at all levels of society.
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WP7: Living Labs and Real-World Testing
This is where it all comes together. We’ll test our ideas, tools, and models in 28 Living Labs and study sites across Europe and beyond. These Labs are partnerships with farmers, schools, communities, and local authorities—places where solutions are created, tested, and shared.
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WP8: Communication, Education & Policy Outreach
We want our findings to reach far beyond the academic world. This WP focuses on sharing knowledge with the public, policymakers, and especially the next generation—working with agricultural schools and other education providers to spread awareness and build skills for pollinator-friendly futures.
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WP9: Coordination and Project Management
Behind every great project is strong coordination. This WP ensures smooth operations across all the work packages, managing data, resources, timelines, and collaboration between partners across Europe.