VIPs at the EESC - BEEHIVES ON THE 7th FLOOR TERRACE, Jacques Delors Building - JDE

Honey harvest, © Gilles Buyck

On 12 September 2016, and after a few years of absence, the EESC has again welcomed some VIP guests, or Very Important Pollinators. Two beehives have benn installed on the 7th floor of the JDE building. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the possibilities of urban beehives, and more globally, the vital importance to our planet of bees and pollinators and the need to halt their dramatic decline in recent years. In addition, any honey produced will be used for tastings by staff and visitors as well as gifts whenever appropriate.

                 

The EESC will cooperate over a four year period with BeeOdiversity Sprl. BeeOdiversity also has a social economy vocation. BeeOdiversity states that each beehive helps develop the neighbouring biodiversity for some 4 billion plants over a space of 700 hectares. This could be translated, as an example, into the production of some 1.3 million apples, or 800 000 pears, etc.

 

The two beehives will become the focus of awareness-raising activities with staff and guests after the bees' return to public life next year, starting in the spring of 2017 during the Open Doors Day in May 2017. More information will follow.