Wanted: 350 Bee Guardians in Stroud

I have been working with Stroud's Global Bee Project to support 350 Bee houses being built in Stroud by October 24th 2009 - well I've had a couple of meetings with them to help develop the project - their enthusiasm alone should drive this forward to great success.

Photo: Coffee House discussion subgroup talking about bees earlier this year with Carlo as one of the speakers - see link to Coffee House here. See also below a beehouse from Devon made from an old log.

Today Stroud Life covered a bit of the story about how the project has been launched as part of the 350 Day of International Climate Action on October 24.

*****Blog coming tomorrow on how to make a beehouse*****

Jessie Jowers of The Global Bee Project is quoted saying: "350 parts per million is what scientists say is the safe limit for C02 in the atmosphere. We've reached 389 parts per million and have to get back to 350. We are hoping that people in Stroud will put up 350 bee houses – to be part of this action. Bees are at the base of the food chain and pollinate the plants that absorb C02 from the atmosphere."

Carlo Montesanti at the project is quoted saying: "Climate change and other factors such as loss of habitat means that life is getting harder for bees. The beehouses can provide a habitat for non-aggressive solitary bees such as Red Mason bees or leafcutter bees."

Already the Global Bee Project has sold more than 100 beehouses since June from its shop in Kendrick Street (the shop has been generously granted to them by local business Kings Owen, Mortgages & Financial Services) - and have also encouraged many people to make their own. For five Saturdays leading up to 24th October there will be special sessions at the shop to make beehouses – which can be simply constructed either out of a block of wood or a bundle of hollow sticks. Jessie and Carlo are asking anyone in Stroud who already has a beehouse in their garden to get in touch, so they know how close they are to the 350 target. They are also after stories for their website with photos - See mine here.

Contact the Global Bee Project on 07915055818, www.theglobalbeeproject.com

Anyone can become a "Bee Guardian" as noted by taking simple actions such as building beehouses, designating areas of safe havens in gardens for ground nesting bees, protecting wild bee nests and planting bee friendly plants. As I've said on this blog before there are over 250 bee species in the UK, not just honeybees and bumblebees, and over 20,000 bee species worldwide.

Bees pollinate one third of all the food we eat and also many of the plants that absorb the CO2 from the atmosphere. So, the more bees that we encourage in the environment surrounding us, the more pollination will occur and this will lead to a reduction in CO2.

Already on this day around the globe there are lots of projects like church bells ringing 350 times to the smell of 350 paellas cooking with solar energy. We are hoping that people in Stroud will put up 350 bee houses - we want to be part of this action to let world leaders know that we need immediate action to tackle climate change. But you might have some other ideas? See the link below - another project being developed in Stroud area is to plant 350 trees - more on that exciting development soon! Anyhow here was the quote given to Stroud Life that they didn't use:

Philip Booth, a local councillor and 'Bee Guardian' who has supported the project said: "I have been wonderfully impressed and delighted by this project. Jessie and Carlo's passion and enthusiasm is infectious. It is no wonder they already have the support of Gloucestershire University and an exciting project in schools next year with the Royal Society. I made two beehouses and was delighted to find ten of the holes filled within weeks by the amazing leafcutter bee. These bees cut neat holes in the leaves of my roses and then proceeded to cap the end of the holes in the beehouse. They are quite amazing to watch. Making a beehouse is very easy and a simple step we can all take to support bees."

More about the project at: http://www.theglobalbeeproject.com

More about the 350 campaign at: http://www.350.org/about