Page 20 - ALG Issue 4 2014 Digital Edition

Bees
What allotments mean for bees – an interview with Grant Smith, NAS allotment mentor for London
This interview is adapted from an interview that appeared in the journal of the Environmental Justice Foundation in July 2014
Pollinator Strategy that is set for release later this year.
“I attended a presentation on the NPS and I was given a lot of information. I
feel, however, that these issues ultimately need to be presented and resolved by civil society. The Government can do nothing except facilitate change, and it is up to
civil actors to initiate it...civil action can create roots for activism, and help to deliver knowledge in ways far more powerful than governmental incentives.”
Civil action is very important – but
it can often be difficult to engage the public on such issues. Grant believes that bumblebees are a great way of engaging people with a pollinator cause, as often people don’t realise that bee species extend beyond the “fuzzy black stripy ones.” Through learning about one type of bee, people might start to notice the wide variety of pollinators in our environment. Crucially, you do not need to be an expert in order to understand how important bees are to us and work to help save these pollinators.
Grant’s interest in growing his own food comes from his days of gardening with his grandfather in Oklahoma. Upon moving
to London, he faced an issue common
to most city dwellers – being left without a garden. He rediscovered allotment growing when his first child was born, wanting his children to be involved in growing food for their family home. These days, as well as keeping bees, he is involved in a number of sustainable food projects throughout London. He is also active on the London Pollinators Forum, chaired by Paul De Zylva, FoE, a fellow member of the Bee Coalition.
Allotment growing has led Grant to appreciate the importance of pollinators and the valuable ecosystem services they supply, which inspired him to embark on a beekeeping course. At the same time, he believes that allotment food production is of great benefit to bees. Along with other members of the National Allotment Society, Grant stresses an important connection between allotment growing and providing ecologically valuable spaces for wildlife, engaging conservation groups such as Frog Life to examine the positive effects of allotment creation and amphibian life.
“Studies have been done which show allotment spaces to be biodiversity hotspots for a range of wildlife,” says Grant. “I believe that a lot of people who own or maintain
an allotment do it for ecological purposes and I see allotment growing as having holistic benefits for both ourselves and the environment.”
In the Grove Park allotment, Grant
keeps bees for educational (and of course pollination) services. They are visited each Tuesday morning by the Southwark Asylum Seeker Day Centre for opportunities to get close to nature and tend their community allotment patch. Grant’s second hive is in Lewisham, and is mainly used for educating children using hands-on beekeeping experience.
In addition to being good for pollinators, urban food growing and the wider sustainable food movement could also have the capacity to transform our urban environment. Such ‘green zones’ within cities, says Grant, present opportunities for learning and self-education, which are likely to influence how people perceive and use the environment. However, Grant also says that it is important that allotment projects are resilient and self-sustaining.
“The National Allotment Society believes that allotments represent a tried and tested model for food growing in the city. In addition to plots for households, allotments provide a secure framework for community growing projects, such as the one with Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers (SDCAS), who in turn bring their own skills and energy. The collaboration with SDCAS
has been very successful all round. In addition to creating a dedicated community growing space, it permitted a successful joint funding application to repair buildings and paths and make them wheelchair accessible, and improve the site’s fencing and set up the apiary.”
Grant and I discuss the conservation of UK’s pollinators and the main threats they currently face. Sadly, bees are not a fundamental priority – but as Grant says, a decline in the
bee population severely
damages our environment
and economy.
Through community projects, Grant is sharing his knowledge and passion amongst others who
may not otherwise have opportunities to grow their own food or visit beehives in real life, providing a powerful example of
how an environmental
movement can morph into a community movement with incredibly far-reaching benefits.
“Bees happen to be one of the most interesting species, and should be viewed as companions,” says Grant. “People must realise that we must work with the bees to create something bigger.
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“I believe that the
neonicotinoid ban was a
great first step; however,
in order to move forward
we must work as a human
and non-human collective
with the bees, giving bees a voice where they are not otherwise heard, for example, in debate and activism. By forming cross species coalitions we can work together to promote the importance of a wide range of species and protect and preserve their habitats and livelihoods.”
Grant gave his thoughts on the National
Save the Bees
I believe that the neonicotinoid ban was a great first step;
The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) highlights the dangers of chemical pesticides and supports financially viable and ecologically sustainable alternatives. Their campaigning was instrumental in securing a global ban on the deadly pesticide endosulfan in 2010.
EJF’s Save the Bees campaign raises awareness of the environmental impacts of systemic pesticides in food production and the wide-reaching threats to pollinator species, ecosystems and food security. It calls for greater international regulation of toxic pesticides and for organic and sustainable alternatives. EJF uses film and public events to engage the public and secure their support for the protection of our vital pollinators by encouraging them to avoid the use of pesticides and by making their own gardens and allotments havens for wildlife.
EJF is also a founding member of The Bee Coalition, which brings together some
of the UK’s most prominent environmental groups including Buglife, Client Earth, EJF, Friends of the Earth, Natural Beekeeping Trust, Pesticide Action Network UK, RSPB and the Soil Association to secure more effective regulation and monitoring of pesticides.
“The inappropriate use of pesticides has the potential to cause massive damage to the environment, food security, jobs and income. It is vital that we prevent the further decline of invaluable species like bees and avoid potentially worrying impacts on human health and farm incomes,” Steve Trent.
www.ejfoundation.org