Last updated: April 2022
‘I have a bee’ (IHAB) is an organisation for hobby beekeepers. It contributes to a sustainable and long-term solution to the bee colony collapse phenomenon by popularizing bee keeping as a hobby. It was founded by 3 hobbyist beekeepers back in 2014. The idea originated from their passion for beekeeping and the desire to breed and keep bees as pets. The group has engaged in research about the roots of traditional beekeeping and designed a new top bar hive which has the advantage of being usable in backyards or on city terraces. (Ref 1) Their 1,000,000 beehive initiative aims to ignite 1,000,000 people around the world to watch at least one beehive. (Ref 3) No information found on status of project as of September 2020.
https://bnr.bg/sofia/post/100604886/pchelite-ni-hranat-i-oblichat-ako-ne-gi-otglejdame-stava-strashno
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Other
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of historic traditions
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
- Environmental and climate justice
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Economic development: agriculture
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity
Project objectives
According to the 3 founders, their goals for starting the organization were (Ref 1):
- not to be involved in a production process of honey but just to breed and keep bees just like other have dogs in their homes
- popularise bee keeping in urban conditions
- increase awareness regarding the challenges apiculture is facing
They also stressed that if someone should across a swarm of bees in an unusual place - to call them and volunteers could place them where appropriate and save them (Ref 2)
Implementation activities
The organisation is set up and managed by the three co-founders. It is also being financed only by the three of them. They maintain communication channels (via homepage and social media) to raise awareness and attract potential hobby bee keepers. Additionally, the organisation is offering educational services to new bee keepers. By ordering the top bar hive, a start-up package is being offered including the hive, delivery, bee family, settlement, work clothes and accessories, guidance and one year of free professional counselling. [1]
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Create new habitats
- Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
- Capacity building
- Protect and apply traditional knowledge and conservation practices
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
- Other
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Citizen science
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The organisation is set up and managed by the three co-founders: Petar Petrov, Stefan Zlatev and Trifon Michailov. It is also being financed only by the three of them. [1]
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
No
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Other
Type of funding
- Other
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of goods
- Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Increased protection of threatened species
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Other
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Protection of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Unknown
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
NATURVATION – Case Study Working Paper: Sofia. (2018). Budapest. pp 25-31
BNR (2015) Мнението на специалисти: Пчелите ни хранят и обличат, ако не ги отглеждаме - става страшно Source: Source link [Accessed on 9 September 2020]
BNT (2015) Кошер на терасата …. Source: Source link [Accessed on 9 September 2020]
Капитал (2015) План Bee: На терасата на НДК се заселват две пчелни семейства. Source: Source link
BNR (2015) Мнението на специалисти: Пчелите ни хранят и обличат, ако не ги отглеждаме - става страшно Source: Source link [Accessed on 9 September 2020]
BNT (2015) Кошер на терасата …. Source: Source link [Accessed on 9 September 2020]
Капитал (2015) План Bee: На терасата на НДК се заселват две пчелни семейства. Source: Source link