General information about the project
The project “Traditional Beekeeping: Rescue of Wild Bees in the Woods” has been co-financed from funds of the EEA Financial Mechanism 2009-2014 (the Norway Grants) as part of the Operational Programme PL02 “The Protection of the Biological Diversity and Ecosystems”. The agreement was concluded on 8 August 2014 in Warsaw between the Ministry of the Environment, on behalf of which the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management acts, and the Augustów Forest District.
Wild bees serve a very important role in forests as they pollinate many species of trees, bushes and mid-forest meadows. As a breed similar to a primary species, it is less productive and less desirable by beekeepers. On the other hand, these bees are better adapted to harsh conditions, thus their population should be a great reservoir of genes in case of unforeseeable environmental changes. It is a pilot and innovative project from which conclusions and experience will be drawn and used when preparing a programme of the restoration of tree beekeeping in the Forest Promotional Complexes. The obtained findings will be the basis for devising rules of tree beekeeping and, when there will be a need, the rules of bee re-introduction and restoration, and implementing education on beekeeping and tree beekeeping.
The total amount of eligible expenditure of the Project is PLN 1,289,600. The co-financing level amounts to 85 % of eligible expenditure, that is PLN 1,096,160.
The Augustów Forest District is the beneficiary of the project and concluded partnership agreements with the following entities: the Browsk Forest District, the Maskulińskie Forest District, the Supraśl Forest District, the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (wild bee care, morphology and biology), the University of Białystok (the Faculty of Law of the University of Białystok, activities including the observation and analysis of a legal situation, searching solutions, training, legal duty hours and publishing a monograph).
In accordance with the expenditure schedule, the project consisted of 8 activities as part of which particular tasks had to be conducted, among other things, conferences and workshops, educational displays, educational trails and points, publications, promotion, a website, scientific patronage and support - legal aspects.
Some publications developed as part of the project and conference materials are listed below.
