ATREE’s Pollinator-Linked Urban Multifunctional Ecosystems (PLUME) initiative aims to create multifunctional gardens in cities. These garden spaces grow edibles while supporting pollinators and other forms of urban biodiversity.  By choosing the right kind of plants and avoiding harmful chemicals, gardens can attract bees, birds, butterflies, and other urban wildlife, creating healthy and vibrant ecosystems in the urban landscape. PLUME can offer a plethora of benefits, including fresh, homegrown food while enhancing physical and mental health of those who use the space. Gardening fosters a sense of community and a connection to nature, benefiting both children and adults. Additionally, green spaces improve air quality and reduce the urban heat island effect, providing joy and tranquility. A network of multiple biodiversity-supportive gardens help create interconnected spaces in the city, facilitating movement of bees, butterflies, birds, and other fauna, making cities more liveable and resilient.

Pollinators, especially bees, are crucial in supporting food production. A healthy and diverse population of pollinators can ensure year-round pollination leading to good quality and quantity of fruits and vegetables. Bees come in different shapes, sizes, and colors with equally diverse life-history traits and behaviour. Honeybees are one kind of bees that build hives and make honey. However, most bees do not fall in this category. These bees do produce honey but are excellent pollinators of most of our edible plants.