Minister marks World Bee Day on Offaly farm
Marking World Bee Day (Saturday), Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity, Senator Pippa Hackett visited the farm of Ken Gill in Clonbullogue, and the took the opportunity to link up with the Pilot National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme.
Under the theme “Bee engaged in pollinator-friendly agricultural production”, World Bee Day 2023 calls for global action to support pollinator-friendly agricultural production and highlights the importance of protecting bees and other pollinators, particularly through evidence-based agricultural production practices. Bee and pollinator populations are fundamental for the health of ecosystems and food security. They are under threat from changes in land use and agricultural practices which have greatly reduced their food resources and access to nesting sites. In Ireland one third of our wild bee species are threatened with extinction and Bumblebee populations show a worrying year on year decline of 4.1% since 2012.
Minister Hackett said: “It is great to see the Pilot National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme now in its second year of surveys and hear about the popularity of the project with farmers. Monitoring of bee species and other pollinators is central to tackling declines and ensuring successful measures for their protection are in place. Ireland is leading the way in the EU by having a pollinator monitoring scheme in place”.
Ken Gill is a full-time organic farmer operating a suckler to beef system on his 95 hectare farm. Ken is taking part in the Pilot Pollinator Monitoring Scheme with five visits taking place on his farm over the summer. The farm has beautiful examples of important habitat for pollinators including flowering hedgerows, large mature trees and semi-natural woodland and plenty of flowering species in the sward. Ken says about the project “It is great to be taking part and learn about the pollinator monitoring survey. We have plenty of wildlife habitat here on the farm and are happy to contribute to finding out more about bee and other pollinator numbers”.
Minister Hackett concluded by commending the work of the project and Ken on his pollinator friendly farm, “It has been fascinating to see such interesting and important scientific work going on here on a beautiful farm to celebrate World Bee Day. The visit has given a real insight into what pollinator monitoring involves on the ground and the different methods used. The pilot study will be hugely important in providing a baseline from which we can work to achieve policy targets for reducing the declines of bees and other pollinators. It is great to see such a positive example of how farms can offer to support pollinators. I wish the project ongoing success and look forward to seeing the results which no doubt will contribute to evidence-based agricultural actions and measures to tackle the threats to bees and other pollinators”.