Promoting Biodiversity and Sustainability

The Case for Installing Beehives on UK Industrial Estates

Industrial estates play a crucial role in the UK's economic landscape, but they could also make a significant positive impact on biodiversity and sustainability. How? The answer lies in a small but threatened creature - the honeybee.

Beehives on Industrial Estate. A Win-Win Solution

To help maintain our declining population of honeybees, we need to provide places for them to live. Installing a hive, or honeybee hotel, is as easy as installing a bird or bat box. MJC work with BeesMAX, a not-for-profit company whose aim is to reverse the decline of the UK bee population, to install and maintain hives on estates.

Boosting Biodiversity

Small scale ecology upgrades in the design of industrial estates can make a big difference. But these don’t have to be limited to new estates. As existing industrial assets come in for refurbishment, why not add cycle sheds with green roofs to help boost biodiversity?

Forlorn looking shrubs can be replaced with attractive wildflower meadows. This boosts local wildlife and promotes occupier wellbeing.

These measures, along with installing beehives on industrial estates, help create a welcoming habitat for bees and other pollinators. In the long-term this leads to an increase in local plant diversity, supporting a wide array of insects and birds.

Community Engagement and Employee Wellbeing

Installing beehives fosters community involvement. It raises awareness about the importance of pollinators and their role in sustaining our environment. Improving the environment for insects and birds also has a huge benefit in improving employee wellbeing. Greening up our industrial parks should be an easy goal.

Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility

Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability by incorporating beehives aligns with corporate social responsibility goals. It's a visible way to show that your industrial estate cares about the environment.

Leading property owner SEGRO PLC have been at the forefront of biodiversity. They installed beehives on the Slough Trading Estate as long ago as 2019. Their efforts have not only increased the local bee population but also improved the aesthetics of the estate. Visitors and employees alike have expressed their appreciation for the gentle hum of bees and resulting honey!

Summary

It's high time we recognise the potential for industrial estates in fostering biodiversity and sustainability. Installing beehives is a practical step that can create a lasting impact. So, whether you're a business owner, an employee, or an advocate for environmental causes, let's work together to make our industrial estates more bee-friendly and environmentally sustainable.

To host your own beehives contact BeesMAX.