Help bee habitat by planting indigenous
THIS year’s annual Arbor Week, which commenced yesterday until Friday, will focus on the oldest, largest and most culturally significant trees. The week also calls for people across the country to plant indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.
This year #PolliNationSA, a 12-month movement that aims to help 100 000 South Africans become legitimate bee protectors, has aligned with Arbor Week by calling on people to plant bee-friendly indigenous trees.
Launched in May by Candide, a free gardening app, #PolliNationSA aims to raise awareness around bees and what gardeners can do.
The movement supports Arbor Week’s environmental objectives to educate communities and encourage involvement in sustainability drives. Arbor Week also takes place at the beginning of Spring, just as bees awake from hibernation.
Candide market lead Shani Krige said: “Candide supports all efforts that create a positive impact for our gardeners and their gardens. Arbor Week is an important event that has achieved incredible awareness. There are definite similarities to what we hope to achieve with #PolliNationSA.”
Krige said bees needed all the support they could get as they were faced with ongoing challenges, from pesticide use to habitat destruction.
“One way is to ensure that your garden consistently provides bees with vital resources like water, pollen and nectar. It’s also possible to do good for both of these movements with a simple, single action: plant an indigenous tree,” she said.