Under the BeePathNet project, 5 European cities will learn from the Slovenian capital the holistic approach to urban beekeeping developed and successfully implemented by Llubjana. The project aims to establish and develop sustainable urban beekeeping.
The Bee Friendly Network was created to serve a more sustainable, liveable urban environment and local development while preserving natural resources and biodiversity.
The BeePathNet network brings together 6 EU cities - Ljubljana (Slovenia) as lead partner, Amarante (Portugal), Bydgoszcz (Poland), Cesena (Italy), Nea Propontida (Greece), and the Hegyvidék Municipality of the XIIth District of Budapest (Hungary).
Several project elements have already been implemented in District XII:
- The Hegyvidéki Bee Friendly Network has launched a Honey Breakfast for students and kindergarteners, where children can learn about bees and their importance in a playful way.
- For adults, the MOM Cultural Centre organised a series of educational programmes entitled "Our Bees".
- In the garden of the Barabás Villa, an examination box allowed the observation of the life of bee colonies.
- A partnership with the Budapest Waterworks has also been launched, reducing the number of mowings at local waterworks sites twice a year to provide additional shelter for bees by leaving undisturbed areas.
- Bee pastures have been established.
- Organise a variety of community programmes to inspire residents to create nature-friendly, pollinator-friendly gardens.
- Publications have been published to inform the public about the importance of pollinating insects, their role in the city, activities to help them, planting, insect hotels, insect pots and more.
- They also published a map showing the main points of the District XII Bee Friendly Network
