From September 2018 Organiclea is starting a new project focused on the importance of bees and other pollinators.
The Bee Wild project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, will help raise awareness of the importance of pollinator species, improve the habitat for them at Hawkwood Nursery, and provide lots of opportunities for people to get involved and gain new skills.
Hawkwood Nursery is already a haven for wildlife but the plan is to make it even better for pollinators. We will build beehives and bug hotels, improve flower meadow and deadwood habitats and create two ponds. We will also establish a green corridor linking the site with Epping Forest and create a ‘pollinator trail’ to enable people to see and learn about pollinating species.
Volunteers will play a key role in the project, taking part in everything from beekeeping and surveying pollinators to meadow maintenance and tree care.
We’re recruiting now for volunteers with a particular interest in biodiversity and seeing habitats improved for pollinators. There will be plenty of training opportunities linked to pollinator species, survey skills, planting schemes and much more. If you’re interested sign up for a volunteer induction here, or come along to our Open Day on Sunday 26 August 12-4pm.
Throughout the project there will also be open days, workshops, guided tours and stalls where you can find out more and get involved. There will be bee activity packs, seeds for nectar-rich plant to attract pollinators to gardens, and a pollinator ID booklet and webpage.
Organiclea is very grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund and to the National Lottery players who have made it possible for us to do this important biodiversity work.
As the project gets underway, we are also fundraising for a new woodland classroom on our site, which will allow even more people to experience the site’s natural heritage and to learn about wildlife habitats. Find out more here.
