Tree hive beekeeping - Reviving a traditional practice
A training course from [now closed] in Ebrach, Germany
Populations of wild honey bees have almost completely disappeared in Central Europe. Intensified agriculture and forest management have reduced appropriate nesting sites and habitats for honey bees. Especially large and old trees with cavities are rare in our forests. Such ‘habitat trees’ however are considered as crucial elements of biodiversity conservation in forests since they provide important niches and microhabitats for a wide range of flora and fauna.
Traditional tree hive beekeeping supported the creation of artificial habitat trees to facilitate forest beekeeping and to replace natural cavities. Those beekeepers were called “Zeidler” or “Beutner” in German, “Bartnik” and “Bortnik” in Polish and Russian respectively. Traditional forest beekeeping in tree hives disappeared from most European countries by the end of the 19th century. As a consequence, the old technique of creating artificial habitat trees has vanished from our forest ecosystems. Fortunately traditional beekeeping has survived in the Shulgan Tash Nature Reserve in the Southern Ural, and has been brought back to Central Poland only recently. Since then more than 20 tree hives have been established successfully.
Tree hives will not allow replacing the role of natural cavities in forest ecosystem functioning but can contribute to supporting the increase of such microhabitat structures in forest stands. Additionally they provide an added value by temporarily creating new honey bee nesting sites in forests and importantly reviving an old cultural heritage and technique.
In order to advertise this traditional method of beekeeping which in turn benefits forest biodiversity, the European Forest Institute (EFI) is organizing a course in Ebrach, Steigerwald region in autumn 2014. The course is targeted at participants interested in actively promoting this method and who intend to become future instructors and course organizers introducing traditional tree hive beekeeping. It is open for beekeepers who are interested in establishing and using tree hives. The participants receive a comprehensive training in this traditional beekeeping method in the most natural beehive possible. It is noted that although this traditional method was practiced mainly in the Middle Ages, it allows for professional varroa treatment, breed inspection and feeding.
The course is limited to a maximum of 12-15 participants. The course will be split into three sub-groups working with our Polish trainers. The course language is English and translations into German, French and Spanish will be available.
The trainers will be a team of traditional beekeepers from Poland, namely: Dr. Przemek Nawrocki (WWF), Tomasz Dzierzanowski (from a local environmental protection organization), Andrzej Pazura (National State Forest) and Jacek Adamczewski (Wigierski National Park). The apicultural know how according to local requirements will be guaranteed by Mellifera e.V. with the special support of Norbert Poeplau, having himself learned an practiced tree beekeeping with the polish masters. FreeTheBees with the help of André Wermelinger provides the knowledge-transfer from the very first tree beekeeping course in Switzerland in March 2014, and Jonathan Powell from the Natural Beekeeping Trust (UK).Course information Start: 23 October 2014, Thursday, 13:00 End: 26 October 2014, Sunday, 12:00
Location: Ebrach / Germany
[Update: Next course July 13 to 16 2015 in Switzerland]
Costs
The expected costs of the course are at a maximum of 600 EUR per participant, including accommodation and food. The final amount will be communicated to interested participants in due course as the organisers are currently investigating the financial support by additional sponsors.
Course output
It will result for each participant in obtaining best available knowledge from professionals in order to practise the original beekeeping method unaided and sufficient background for organizing own courses in their respective countries. In more detail the course will provide for :
- Theoretical background from recognised scientists and practitioners
- Basic written theory information
- The preparation of a traditional bee hive in a living tree (made accordingly to
Central-European tradition) - Practical exercises in the production of a log hive in a tree trunk
- Gaining practical experience on promoting this technique to other interested groups
and individuals - Extensive discussions on traditional bee keeping, networking including the
distribution of know-how and experiences from different European regions
- Climbing trees based on the traditional approach and preparing bee hives in the tree trunks, needs good physical condition (if required, we can compromise by using ladders, platforms, chainsaws, etc.)
- That the course takes place regardless of the weather
- That the payment of a deposit is required in advance
Booking closes 15 September 2014
[Update: Next course July 13 to 16 2015 in Switzerland]