PROJECTS & PROGRAMMES
"The bee is more honored than other animals, not because she labors, but because she labors for others." -St. John Chrysostom
PROJECT 01: THE POLLINATION PROJECT
PROJECT 02: THE URBAN BEE HIVE PROJECT
Under Development----> Coming Soon
The Pollination Project is an apprenticeship programme for the training and development of the skills for new beekeepers seeking to enter the apiculture industry. The Bee Hive Project is designed to provide platform for urban and rural beekeepers with the skills and tools to practice natural beekeeping in and urban setting whilst educating the public about the benefits of honeybees to our world.
The Pollination Project seeks to spread awareness about bees, support the conservation of honeybees and educate communities, schools and businesses about importance of bees in everyday life. In order to pollenate ideas around the conservation of bees The Pollination Project will partner with schools, community based groups farmers, private and government agencies to host a hives based on the potential carrying capacity of the location. These locations will be used to host beekeeping training whilst providing pollination services for, farmer's fields, community and school's parks and food gardens.
This will include lessons about the Langstroth hive, Top Bar, about the honey bee, bee biology, as well as pests & disease awareness. The classes will also include guest beekeeper speakers providing insightful lectures and perspectives. It is important for us to teach the conventional, Longstroth methods and Top Bar hive methods. Many beekeepers in Jamaica, including our organization, are open to exploring natural and sustainable methods of beekeeping, which includes the use of top bar hives.
Apprentices and workshop participants will have the opportunity to learn how to manage honey bee colonies in an urban garden or rooftop educational apiary. Apprentices will be provided regular opportunities to learn and help to manage bee colonies on urban community gardens or rooftops and private residences all over Kingston.
The Pollination Projects will host quick value added beekeeping by products workshops ranging from bee-wax candle making, bee-wax hair products to mead production and flavoured honey.
Under Development----> Coming Soon
The Bee Hive Project is programme that seeks to aid the beekeeping industry adapt to climate change. The Urban Bee Hive Project has two (2) objectives:
1. The Project is seeks encourage urban forestry and apiary by setting-up green spaces in order to sequester carbon whilst producing nectar for honey production, re-introduction of pollination where bees encounter less pest and diseases and provide farm gate prices to customers.
2. And utilizing CNC-Router Technology to reduce the wood wastage hive production process by some 50%. The hives will be made from bamboo, an efficient carbon absorber, absorbing 90-400 tonnes of carbon in 5 years vs the 25 year it takes timber plantation absorb a similar amount carbon.
The intended outputs of the project include:
1. The creation of Bamboo Colorado Top Bar and Warre Hives which encourage a more natural/sustainable beekeeping.
2. Green urban apiaries and green spaces.