York Trial Showcases Biodiverse Turf’s Boost to Pollinator Activity and Ecosystem Health
A technology-led trial between York businesses AgriSound, a leading provider of smart listening devices for pollinator monitoring in the UK, and Rolawn®, the UK’s leading supplier of turf and topsoil, has revealed compelling new evidence of the ecological value of biodiverse turf.
Launched in May 2025 at Rolawn’s Wilberfoss production site, the collaboration is the first of its kind and sees the biodiversity monitoring project deploy 12 AgriSound Polly™ bioacoustic sensors across three different habitat types – biodiverse turf, standard lawn grass, and native hedgerows – to measure pollinator activity and soil-health benefits across each setting.
AgriSound’s Polly™ device uses solar-powered sensors to record bee activity alongside environmental data (light, temperature, and humidity) to generate high-resolution insights into habitat performance.”
During the first 50 days of the trial, the sensors recorded 32% more pollinator activity in BioScapes® Biodiverse Turf, a blend of wildflower and fescue cultivars, than in Medallion® Turf which uses a blend of ryegrass and fescue cultivars – a difference viewable in real time on AgriSound’s dashboards and clear proof of how nature-focused products can lift biodiversity and pollinator health.
UK pollinator populations are under severe pressure due to habitat degradation and intensive land management, and the AgriSound-Rolawn trial demonstrates how innovation in landscaping and turf production can materially boost biodiversity.
By putting hard numbers on the gains from nature-based solutions, the study also advances environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, and complements national strategies for biodiversity and climate resilience.
Paul Bensley, group commercial director at Rolawn, said: “We’ve long believed in ‘bioscaping’ – landscaping that nurtures life, supporting wellbeing and biodiversity – but this trial with AgriSound supports our commitment with hard evidence.
“Seeing our Biodiverse Turf attract many more pollinators than conventional lawn turf and naturally occurring vegetation, demonstrates just how significant the impact on local ecosystems can be once laid.”
Casey Woodward, founder and CEO of AgriSound, commented: “The project with Rolawn is a great example of how companies can use our bioacoustic technology to measure and validate the impact of their sustainable product ranges.
“We’ve gained remarkably early results in the first three months of this trail, underlining the critical role businesses must play in reversing biodiversity loss and how AgriSound can support these reversals of biodiversity loss with real-time data monitoring.”
The project continues throughout the 2025-26 growing season, with further results expected over the coming months. The findings will inform Rolawn’s product development strategy and provide powerful validation for its biodiverse turf products.
