Bees: a gateway into Nature

Schumacher College, October (10-14) with Phil Chandler, Brigit Strawbridge, Juergen Tautz and Graham White

The plight of the bee is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our times. This unique course from Schumacher College brings together scientists, natural beekeepers and campaigners to take an in-depth look at the causes of their decline, the consequences for the natural world and the role we have to play in providing a low-impact, chemical-free world for them to flourish.

The course will cover:

• The extraordinary ways that bees behave and communicate, and the science behind the collective intelligence of bees, which makes it possible to describe their colonies as super-organisms
• Insights into the intimate and mutually dependent relationship between all bee species and flowering plants
• Latest understanding of the threats to all pollinators from pesticides and habitat loss
• The science behind colony collapse disorder and neonicotinoids
• The wider regulatory context – why are the watchdogs deaf, dumb and blind?
• Natural bee husbandry methods, using sustainable, low-impact hives to provide a chemical-free environment in which bees can flourish
• Exploration of ways to establish a more appropriate and healthy relationship between us, the bees and the soil that ultimately feeds us all

Visit http://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/courses/bees-a-gateway-into-nature

Course Fees

£650 All course fees include accommodation, food, field trips and all teaching sessions.

For further information about Schumacher College please see About the College

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Schumacher College, Dartington is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Habitat Aid is delighted to announce that they will be supplying the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA) with packets of native wildflower seed especially selected for honey bees. BBKA Enterprises Ltd. successfully trialled an Annual Wildflower mix and a Special Bee Mix of annual and perennial wildflowers at the BBKA annual Spring Convention at Stoneleigh Park. Both mixes will be available from the BBKA website from 10th May and will retail from £1.00 plus P&P.

The packets are unusual in several regards.

The seeds are top quality, guaranteed UK provenance, and are all native wildflower species.

The Special Bee mix consists of 25 species, suitable for most soil types, and all of which benefit honey bees and/or bumblebees.

Rather than the small packets for sale at Garden Centres sizes start from 10g, or approximately 800 seeds, and go up to 50g (4000 seeds).

Packets come with proper instructions.

All BBKA Enterprise’s profits from the sale of this packet of seeds will be gifted to the BBKA’s own Education and Research fund

For further details please contact Roger Cullum-Kenyon at BBKA Enterprises:

roger-cullum-kenyon@bbka.org.uk

02476 696 679

Habitat Aid Ltd. is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Susie Hewson, winner of
the 2008 Women in Ethical Business Award from ethical bank, Triodos,
and founder of Natracare, the organic and natural range of feminine
hygiene products, is embarking on a new adventure, this time to raise
funds to improve the health of women and babies around the world.

Susie (56) will be
joining other inspirational women on a gruelling 300km cycle ride
through the Jordan Valley to the shores of the Red Sea to raise funds
for the ‘Women for Women’ charity challenge.

The 5-day challenge takes
place in October this year and TV presenter, Fern Britton, will also
be taking part – her fourth ‘Women for Women’ challenge.
  The popular women-only cycling challenges have seen
thousands of women raising money over the past nine years. 

‘Women for Women’
is part of an international charity chaired by Professor Robert
Winston, registration number 292518, which finances medical research
into the causes, and therefore the cures to many conditions that
effect the health of mother and baby.

Funds raised from the
‘Women for Women’ cycle rides are specifically used to
train women scientists and clinicians to specialise in this area of
medicine – thereby empowering more women to lead in this field.

Susie says: “Natracare’s
ethos is one of care and consideration for the wellbeing of women and
the environment, and the development of our organic and sustainable
feminine hygiene products reflects that concern. The giving of my
time and energy to help raise funds for the charity is one of my
biggest challenges but I am really looking forward to the adventure
and meeting all the other charity bikers”.

www.habitataid.co.uk

Habitat Aid is launching a small range of bee friendly non-native trees
to complement the native trees and nectar plants we are already selling.
These trees are recommended by the
British Beekeepers’ Association, except for one specifically for
bumblebees.

This
is part of the continuing expansion of our product line
in support of charities working to protect and promote biodiversity in
the UK. We are donating half of our profit from the sale of these trees to the Laboratory of Apiculture and
Social Insects at the University of Sussex. This is an important cause, and as
a beekeeper myself particularly close to my
heart. 

You can
find the trees at http://www.habitataid.co.uk/acatalog/exotic_trees.html and more information from the contact details
below. 
Nick Mann
Habitat Aid
Phone: 01749 812775
Fax: 01749 812971
 
www.habitataid.co.uk