Beekeeping Centre Plans Resubmitted

Tuesday, 11 February 2020 15:12

Slightly adapted plans have been put forward to create a beekeeping centre in St Saviour.

If approved, there'll be a classroom, laboratory and store to train beekeepers.

The plans were first put forward last August to create the centre in Boulivot - a field that was donated by beekeeper Bob Hogge in memory of his late wife.

However, after feedback, it now includes a reduction to the building's footprint and the hard stand-in for parking.

Chair of the Beekeeping Centre, Ken Healy, says this has been an ambition for a long time.

"The Association is quite fragmented in terms of our stock and our training and participation at island events.

"This would just bring all of that together. It would give us a central location, we could do a lot more for various different groups be that scouts schools, guides and WI groups. We just want to be able to do that in a more structured way, in our own environment, notwithstanding the education and training we need to do for our membership."

The field, although in Green Zone, is a former agricultural dump which is still unsuitable for horticultural activity.

That's prompted the JBKA to work on restoring Boulivot into a natural haven for wild pollinators and wildlife.

"Nobody can hide from the fact that this is needed. The decline in habitats, the climate crisis and we're trying desperately to do our bit for bees and wildlife.

"We've got loads of hives on the island, we've got very good beekeepers, but we needn't stand still. We need to do a little bit of education and training, we feel it's right up there as a need for Jersey to keep beekeeping going for many more years."