The Bee Spot @ SANI is a 120m2 garden-oasis for biodiversity providing exactly what wild pollinators need to thrive: food sources combined with habitat. At the same time it creates an amazing opportunity for education of visitors of all ages through the experience of immersive educational programs. The Sani Bee Spot is an innovative, sustainable and inclusive bee-friendly garden consisting of 7 stations, dedicated to the life of bees, the most important pollinators in the EU.
Local
Greece
Sani seaside village, Municipality of Kassandra of the Regional Unit of Halkidiki located in the Region of Central Macedonia.
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-03-30
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): The Bee Camp NGO Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Angeliki-Konstantina Last name of representative: Kanellopoulou Gender: Female Nationality: Greece Function: Founder & Director Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Rimini 69 Town: Nea Ionia, Athens Postal code: 14231 Country: Greece Direct Tel:+30 697 697 7981 E-mail:hello@thebeecamp.com Website:https://www.thebeecamp.com/?lang=en
“Bee Spots” (term coined by The Bee Camp) are an oasis for biodiversity providing exactly what wild pollinators need : food sources combined with habitat while creating an amazing opportunity for interactive education.
The Bee Spot @ Sani is the largest and first interactive Bee Spot in Greece, which aims to protect the bees and other pollinators of the region, while highlighting their interconnected relationship with humans and plants. The Sani Bee Spot is an innovative bee-friendly garden, with 7 different stations, dedicated to the life cycle of solitary bees, the most important pollinators in the EU. Each station, carefully designed to serve both humans and pollinators, provides information to the public about the biology of wild bees as well as real-life examples of local bee species while prioritizing high aesthetics. The Sani Bee Spot , designed by The Bee Camp team is also the terrain of the creation of the interactive educational program “BEE AGENTS”.
The Bee Spot also serves as a resting spot for both people and pollinators, while raising awareness on biodiversity and the importance of bees.
Habitat Creation
Symbiosis
Inclusion
Sustainability
Interaction
The key objective of The Bee Camp team through the creation of The Bee Spot @SANI is the promotion of the importance of the pollinators towards a sustainable future.
The Bee Camp is the first NGO in Greece committed to the protection of bees and pollinators. It was funded in 2018 in response to the global environmental problem of the increased mortality of bees.The Bee Camp consists of an interdisciplinary team of 5 women with a mission to inspire people to protect pollinators. Our work and activities are based on 3 pillars: Raising Awareness-Education-Creating Habitat.
The Bee Camp team’s goals and activities promote the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development(SDG), especially the Goals 4 “Quality Education”, 11 “Sustainable Cities & Communities”, Goal 13 “Climate Action”, Goal 15 “Life on Land” and 17 “Partnership for the Goals”.
At the same time, our team works towards the objectives of the EU Pollinators Initiative as a part of the Green Deal initiative.
Sani Resort, located in Halkidiki,Greece,is a luxury group of hotels.The idea that people can coexist in harmony with biodiversity lies behind THE BEE SPOT @ SANI.The idea became reality by turning a barren and unexploited public area into a hotspot of Mediterranean biodiversity, especially for solitary bees.
The Sani Resort, the first carbon neutral resort in Greece, is committed to sustainable development, based on the UΝ SDG,alike The Bee Camp, while the Group is a member of the UN Global Compact for Business.The location of the resort is an intersection of three different ecosystems: sea, forest and wetlands.
The Bee Spot’s sustainability and uniqueness is based on the needs of the construction for minimum maintenance, durability and natural materials and selected plants that are in harmony with the environmental surroundings, built in imitation of nature.
Our team’s work and way of working is characterized by high aesthetic quality.
The BEE SPOT @ SANI aims to raise awareness by promoting and mimicking the raw, minimal beauty of nature through the designs of professional architects and landscape architects:
-The design of the “Bee Hotel” is inspired by the most incredible insect architects, the different species of bees. The hexagonal wooden cells are precisely designed, constructed and neatly arrayed.
-The combination of the surrounding old-growth Aleppo pine area, the wooden structures of the various stations, the elements of water and sun, the colors and smells of the plants, offers sensorial-awakening experiences and simultaneously provoking the feelings.
-The construction materials of the various stations and their aesthetic design are in perfect harmony with the landscape and its natural resources.
-The space that hosts the Sani Bee Spot functions as part of the entire diverse ecosystem.
- The creation of a pollinator-friendly herbal garden consists of native species of mediterranean flora that provide shapes and colors of the native landscape.
-The bees and their produce, honey, are deeply linked with Greek culture and aesthetics
The project is exemplary as it can be replicated along the globe with minimal adjustments and be placed in any natural or man-made environment, enhancing it.
The BEE SPOT @ SANI is a fully accessible infrastructure to the general public with free entrance. Visitors are given the opportunity to get in touch with nature and understand the importance of pollinators. At the same time, two educational trips were designed that can take place on The Bee Spot aiming to provide a more holistic and more in depth experience of the garden through active participation.The first one is BEE AGENTS program designed for children and the second one is the BEE ECO TRIP designed for adults.
The goals of the educational programs are to:
-Raise awareness about the Importance of pollinators
-Educate the importance of the life cycle of pollinators and the challenges they are facing
-Understand pollination as an ecological service
-Introduction to local Mediterranean plants and their importance to pollinators
-Increase available habitat for pollinators
THE BEE SPOT @ SANI is inclusive in terms of language as the physical signs of each station are in Greek and English with an easy-to-understand language for the pollinators with the possibility of using the respective QR code. THE BEE SPOT @ SANI is inclusive in terms of age as it is safe and adapted to be visited by all ages (children of 4 to adults of 100 years old).
The Sani Bee Spot is the result of a successful collaboration between The Bee Camp, a non-profit organization and a large private company, Sani Resort, with the aim of protecting the environment and promoting good practices that contribute to a sustainable future. Τhe project is the starting point of an open dialogue on environmental practices and policies for other private actors, communities and local authorities of the area. In addition, its placement in the infrastructure of a tourist accommodation is strategic as the idea can influence various visitors.
The Bee Spot @ Sani benefits:
-The visitors through raising awareness and educational programs, the community of Sani and the surrounding region of Halkidiki are now familiar with local and global environmental issues.
-The local biodiversity by becoming a hotspot of mediterranean plants and restoring habitat
-The local community through visiting and providing educational programs for local school children and adults.
-The civil society as it provides opportunities for collaboration and synergies
The main stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the Sani Bee Spot are the following:
LOCAL
-Local experts from the University participated as scientific advisors,
-Local professionals helped in the design and implementation of the project
-Local Schools as direct beneficiaries of the project,
-Local non profit associations as synergy partners,
-General public visiting the beach Bousoulas and the clients of the accommodation unit,
-Municipal authorities
-The Sani Resort as the main collaborator
REGIONAL
-Core team of The Bee Camp, as the bearer of the idea and the initiator bringing expertise and knowledge,
NATIONAL
-Media and press via the communication campaign
EUROPEAN & GLOBAL
-General public visiting the area can be clients of the accommodation unit coming from all around the world
The Bee Spot @ SANI is fully aligned with the key objectives of the New European Bauhaus initiative, the SDGs of UN and a living example of the European Green Deal and its connection to our daily lives and living spaces.
For the implementation of the Sani Bee Spot a multidisciplinary team was created with the following expertise:
-Landscape architect for the design of the garden, the path, lighting and placement of the stations,
-University Researcher for scientific follow-up
-Local agriculturalist choosing the combination of plants planted in the Bee Spot,
-Animal behaviorist with specialization on wild bees: creating the design habitat taking into consideration the welfare of local bees and pollinators,
-Educators of The Bee Camp core team for the creation of the interactive educational programs for children and adults
-Educators that were trained to implement the programs to participants
-Carpenter for the construction of the wooden structures for the stations and their installation
-Communication professionals for the promotion of the project, its goals and aims
-Translator for the translation of the educational material and signage,
-Hospitality staff to inform visitors about their visit to the Sani Bee Spot.
-Photographer and Videographer documenting the project
-Sustainability expert overviewing the project
The philosophy of The Bee Camp is based on interdisciplinarity and the exchange of knowledge and experience among sectors. We have brought together people from various disciplines so that each one of them can offer the necessary knowledge to make the result sustainable, functional for people and nature, aesthetic and accessible at the same time. Also, this project encouraged cooperative interaction between scholars and practitioners. Τhe same interdisciplinarity and simultaneous cooperation gave to this project added value.
Τhe BEE SPOT @ SANI has an important impact on a social and environmental level.
The outcomes related to the project are the following:
-Recreation of a 120m2 biodiversity garden in the north of Greece
-Design of 1 hands on educational program for children (BEE AGENTS)
-Design of 1 hands on educational program for adults (BEE SPOT TRIP)
-Reaching out to more than 1200 children through participation on the BEE AGENTS in one year
-Reaching out to ~800 adults through participation to the BEE SPOT TRIP
-Reaching out ~1000 visitors (children/adults) as indirect beneficiaries/passerby
-Design and implementation of a communication campaign for press and media
-Design and creation of 7 bee-friendly stations
The impact related to the project are the following:
-Co-creation process with multidisciplinary team
-Creation/restoration of a pollinator’s habitat
-Introduction of the global environmental issues at the local community and visitors of the facilities from around the world
-Promotion of best practices moving towards a zero-waste, aesthetic, green future with respect to the biodiversity and its habitats
-Perception of the sense that humankind is part of biodiversity and nature in general rather than an external supervisor
-Education for the importance of pollinators (and their species diversity) in our environment through the creation and implementation of an in situ educational program for children of ages 5-12 and a nature guiding trip for adults.
-Promotion of eco-literacy: through creating interactive designs that provide information about the concept of “pollination”, identification of plants with labels next to them and creating a game that provides information about the circle of life of solitary bees.
-Raising awareness about native bee-friendly mediterranean plants with special labels next to the garden
The Bee Spot @ Sani is an innovative bee-friendly garden,with 7 different stations, dedicated to the life cycle of solitary bees and unique design in harmony with the environment and natural landscape.Each station, carefully designed to serve both humans and pollinators, gives us information about the biology of wild bees as well as real-life examples of local species.Apart from educational activities that can take place,the Bee Spot also serves as a resting spot for both people and pollinators, while raising awareness on biodiversity and the importance of bees.The Bee Spot mimics the features of a small ecosystem. A Brief description of the 7 stations:
1. WATER STATION There is no life without water. A small spring brings essential vitality to the pollinator garden.
2. HERBAL GARDEN Colorful flowers and fragrant leaves: plants that evolved in parallel with pollinators, creating unique symbiotic relationships.
3. POLLINATOR HOTEL Bees, butterflies, ladybugs, beetles… insects search for natural materials with cavities to rest, breed or overwinter.
4. SOLITARY BEE TOWER Most bee species live solitary lives. A dead trunk with carved tunnels is the perfect space to lay eggs and bring baby bees to the world.
5. OBSERVATION NURSERY How does a bee look, from egg to larvae and then to adult bee? Having a look in their dark tunnels can be enlightening.
6. GROUND SHELTERS If you want to help bees, leave some soil untouched. Many bee species live solitary lives in hidden underground tunnels.
7. POLLINATION GAME Turn the pieces to find the hidden pollen colors and read the magical story of pollination!
The Bee Camp is the only NGO in Greece working on the protection of bees and biodiversity.The Bee Spot is an innovative concept with impacts on an environmental and a social level.We believe that acting locally to address major global issues is the only way.This is why our multidisciplinary team of experts provides a really innovative and unique project.
We seek the beauty in simplicity. Knowing how complex is the life of every person and the everyday information avalanche overwhelms us all, the Bee Spot @ Sani aims to create a calming, high quality and educational experience for its visitors. Driven by the objectives of sustainability, aesthetics and inclusion, this project is fully aligned with the key objectives of the New European Bauhaus initiative and shows how the European Green Deal is connected to our daily lives and living spaces. In addition, the project communicates to the visitor/participant the important ecological problem of the continuous decline of wild pollinator populations, giving them information about the roots of the problem and its impact on daily life, enhancing pollinator conservation and trying through this experience to contribute to their protection, according to the EU Pollinators Initiative.
The methodology always followed by The Bee Camp is based on respect to the needs of pollinators biodiversity and the harmonization of each Bee Spot with the natural landscape of the installation. Before each installation, a survey of the surrounding area takes place by the environmental experts to evaluate the presence and needs of pollinators in the area followed by the analysis and identification of species, natural flora, architecture and aesthetics of the site. Also the design of the bee spots takes into account that the presence of visitors should not create disturbance to the pollinators that have found shelter in the area. Each Bee Spot functions at the same time as a habitat and a place to facilitate connection with nature.
One of the main goals of The Bee Camp is the creation of a nationwide Bee Path. A network that consists of many Bee Spots on balconies, terraces, schoolyards and public spaces. This action offers a creative and participatory solution to the problem of reducing the population of bees and other pollinators and a new way of living that highlights and restores relationships between people, pollinators, flowers and food.
The Bee Spot is a fully scalable and easily multiplied project. It can be customized and installed to every landscape, especially where there is environmental degradation, e.g. barren/underutilized soil, especially in urban areas. Furthermore, the choice of bee-friendly plants and the design of “bee hotels” can be made on a case by case basis, according to the environment of the installation. Parallel educational activities with adaptations can be carried out on any occasion and for all age groups and for people with disabilities.
The use of the bees as a symbol of biodiversity and as a vehicle for highlighting the link between fauna and flora is also applicable to various circumstances. Our goal is to multiply the BEE SPOTS in Greece and in Europe. Thus, the Bee Spot project is easily replicated and scaled for various countries, locations and environments with some customization. Besides, pollinators live on all continents except Antarctica.
Biodiversity Crisis: Over 42,100 species in the world are threatened with extinction and the number is increasing every day.Humans and their activity are the greatest threat to biodiversity and at the same time, the only solution.
Pollinators’ decline: Wild pollinator population decline is amongst the most severe instances of modern biodiversity loss so far documented. It is estimated that 84% of EU crop species and 78% of wildflower species rely on insect pollination.The ecosystem service provided to the EU by pollinators is valued at 15 billion/year.
Reversing the decline of pollinators is an essential step towards ensuring a sustainable future for biodiversity, our planet and future generations.Pollinators are the cornerstones of ecosystems.They allow plants to reproduce, forests to grow, food to be produced.They are the essence of the “symbiosis” that makes nature thrive. Yet, bees and other pollinators are threatened with extinction.The main causes include pesticide use,intensive agriculture and land use,habitat loss through urbanization and climate change.
Social issue: The rate of the alienation of citizens from biodiversity and nature.Through the last decade, Greece experienced government-debt crisis and the international crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The impact of this long-lasting crisis has had substantial consequences on socioeconomic, demographic and political implications. Αmidst all those problems, Greek society finds environmental issues of secondary importance. But now the impacts of climate change are visible to every citizen.Disruption of the seasonal cycle,wildfires and weather-related extreme events are now the rule and not the exception.The world is in the middle of a biodiversity crisis.
Solution: The Bee Camp promotes “Bee Spots” as an innovative, hands-on solution on a local level,a safe haven for the area's solitary bees,an installation that combines plants rich in nectar and pollen(food) and natural shelter in terms of habitat.
