The bee population worldwide is declining each year and as we know, the world is heavily dependent on bees. Not only because life would seem extremely dull without honey but because at least a third of our food supply relies directly on bees for pollination. Most grain crops are pollinated by wind, but having to give up the majority of fruits, nuts and vegetables which are mainly pollinated by bees would be devastating.
Amongst the important role that bees play in our daily lives, is an organisation passionate about Bees, Trees, Elephants and People. The Elephants Alive organisation run many projects focussing on the sustainability of our environment and establishing a peaceful coexistence between elephants and people. “A project close to our hearts is Elephants Alive’s Elephants, Bees, Trees & People project, which tells a special story about protecting South Africa’s indigenous trees from elephant impact using beehives,” says Bianca Swanepoel, head of marketing and communications at SolarAfrica.
For years, the organisation has been protecting Southern Africa’s elephants, and now they’re protecting all that surrounds it too. Preserving our indigenous trees and plants removes carbon from the air and promotes biodiversity. By using the bees to protect these trees, more bees are able to pollinate the surrounding habitat and protect large tree species as important seed producers for future tree-generations. Whilst being thick-skinned creatures, elephants have three vulnerable spots on their body where bees may sting them, namely their eyes, ears, and trunk. The beehives keep the elephants at bay, thereby protecting the trees in which they hang. The honey harvested from the beehives is bottled and sold, with the proceeds being poured back into elephant research and conservation projects. The organic honey is also used by the local wildlife vet to treat the lesions of wounded animals within the park. The organisation also works hard to uplift the neighbouring communities and now train the award-winning, all-female Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit, upskilling them to become beekeepers to improve food security and earn extra income from the honey sales.
“It’s a privilege to be part of this heart-warming journey with the Elephants Alive team and be privy to all the good that they’re doing for our beloved country and the environment. As like-minded organisations, our values align as we strive to improve our environmental footprint and impact on sustainability for the greater good of South Africa,” concludes Swanepoel.
