The new minister of agriculture, julia klockner (CDU), puts it in a nutshell in her inaugural speech. Bees are "systemically important and everything that is harmful to them must be taken off the market. Glockner is referring to certain substances that are used in agriculture to reduce insect infestation.
Bees are among the most important pollinators and are vital for many agricultural products. Their economic value is hardly measurable. Ramona resch, a forester with the bavarian state forestry commission (baysf), also sees the special importance of bees. In her training station in bad bruckenau, she has spent the last four weeks working on a project that will benefit the survival of bees. On a flat of about 2.With the support of her trainer hans-peter meixner, she has created a 500-square-meter bee forest with two bee hotels. In the forest behind the merxkreuz parking lot you can see your model.
Preserving ecological diversity
"It was important to me personally to use existing structures", says resch about her idea. For this purpose, a meadow located at the edge of the forest was tilled and seeded with a regional mixture of 40 different herbs and plants. "For the wild bee, there must be a year-round supply of pollen. Therefore the diversity of trees, shrubs, bushes and flowers", says the forester. "Wild bees and honey bees are both extremely important for the continuation of ecological diversity", also confirms karin schmidt, chairwoman of the bruckenau beekeepers association.
While honey bees are extremely important for early insemination, the many different species of wild bees are needed for later stages of the process. "Because the honeybees form a winter cluster and start right at the first warm rays of sunshine", explains schmidt. In contrast, wild bees first had to establish a state to start collecting.
Schmidt's club has seen an increase in members in recent years. People's awareness of the immense importance of the bees is growing. "People are becoming more interested in bees, not least because of the wide-ranging reporting", she is sure.
Phillip bausch, deputy forest manager, buries the – rather unusual – project of the forest keeper. "Nature conservation is an important part of the bayerische staatsforsten", he says and adds that the baysf has always been happy to provide flat areas for beekeepers to use. A few hundred meters away are several bee colonies belonging to a beekeeper who is a member of the bad bruckenau beekeepers' association.
Forestry company is sensitized
On request, forest ranger meixner does not notice any major change in the diversity of insects in the forests. "But you notice it on the fields, and when you're driving, fewer insects stick to your windshield, he says. Schmidt closely observes the changes in her environment in oberleichtersbach. "Last year I didn't see any ichneumon or swallowtail", it gives information. In her opinion, this points to the changes mentioned above.
The honeybees have a rough lobby. They are taken care of. But the many different species of wild bees are threatened by intensive agriculture. "Few people care about them", resch and schmidt agree. "At the baysf, we're sensitized to the issue", says the deputy forestry manager and points out the many projects and actions throughout bavaria. Extensive use of certain meadows and forests is just as much a part of this as the support of beekeepers. "The more such small regional stepping stones are created, the better", he says. You can also help in your private life by placing an insect hotel in your garden. And sometimes less is more, says schmidt with a wink, referring to the often very tidy gardens of many garden owners.