Aimed at promoting the awareness of pollinators, this project will see a hive of honeybees established on campus, to be used for educational and research purposes. The project will improve the biodiversity of NUI Galway and underline the importance of pollinators in everyday life.
Students: Niamh Kinnarney, Cliona Gavin, Megan Buckley, Conor Behan, Kevin Geoghegan, Katherine McCormick, Aoife Joyce, Louise Ryan, Michael English, Stephen Corrigan, Darren McHugh, Jessica Newport, Claire Bealin, Nicole Dennehy, Aileen Wruck, Katie Malone
Staff: Grace McCormack, Dr. Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, Linda Connor, Dara Scott
Project Update – 7 February 2014:
- Meetings have been planned to discuss the policy regarding landscaping on college to develop to best policy to ensure suitable plant life for pollinators
- Funding is on the way to finance the purchase of beehives and wildflower seeds for the designated habitat
- The art logo competition is on at the moment to spread awareness of the project
- Researchers in TCD and the National Biodiversity Centre have to been contacted to advise on the best policies to promote pollinators
- The Facebook and Twitter pages are up and running
Project Update – 29 November 2013
- The first official meeting of the student group was held and the various aspects of the project were discussed.
- Groups/individuals were given tasks relating to various aspects of the project, such as sourcing wildflowers, setting up a Twitter and Facebook account and organising meetings with NUIG groundskeeper/landscapers.
- Planning of an art competition in order to create a logo for the project has begun and we are hoping to hold that competition over the next couple of months.
- Research into local schools in order to try involving younger students in our planting days etc. and the creation of a short presentation to explain the importance of pollinators is being worked on also.
- Another meeting of the group is planned next month in order to track people’s progress and to decide on what needs to be done next.