Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Friday is Earth Day, and UNC Asheville and the Asheville Design Center will celebrate by unveiling a new structure to be built on campus, and dubbed the “Bee Hotel.” Long live the bees. More from UNCA’s press release:
On Earth Day, Friday, April 22 at 11 a.m., UNC Asheville and Asheville Design Center will announce and celebrate their collaboration the “Bee Hotel,” a new structure to be erected on campus. UNC Asheville is also celebrating its recent designation as a Bee Campus USA.
With bee populations declining, this structure will act as a resting place and nursery for solitary pollinators. These pollinators play a vital role in the growth of fruits and vegetables, plants and flowers. Attendees of the celebration will receive pollinator-friendly plant seedlings.
The announcement will take place at UNC Asheville’s Glass House, adjacent to Ramsey Library.
Here’s more on the bee hotel from the Asheville Design Center:
This Summer’s Project
This summer, we will be working with the University of North Carolina-Asheville to build a “bee hotel” near an established pollinator garden on campus. With bee populations declining, there has been a call for the building of bee hotels, man-made contraptions that act as a resting place and nursery for solitary pollinators. While they may not produce honey, these pollinators still play a vital role in the growth of fruits and vegetables, plants and flowers.
We will be working with UNC-Asheville’s Office of Sustainability, as well as their Biology Department to design and build a structure that will serve as a model for bee-friendly communities around the country.
