Tring Named Bee Friendly Town
Efforts to support bees inTring have led to the town becoming one of the first in the country to be officially named a ‘Bee Friendly Town’.
The status has been granted by the Bee Friendly Trust with Tring one of six towns to receive the accolade nationally.
The Bee Friendly Trust launched the scheme – which aims to transform concrete jungles into wildlife havens – in 2021, with the first awards granted on World Bee Day (20 May 2022).
There are nine criteria that towns have to meet in order to attain ‘Bee Friendly’ status which includes planting up roundabouts, encouraging bee friendly schools, pubs and businesses, putting up homes for wildlife, planting wildflowers and being pesticide-free.
Tring has worked to achieve this through for example:
- securing spaces uncut throughout the summer followed by cutting/ scything and removal of cuttings (churchyard behind St. Peter & St. Paul Church, former allotment site at New Mill, Miswell Park);
- giving out wildflower seeds and leaflets with planting ideas for the garden;
- encouraging young people to be involved with bee friendly activities(e.g. helping them make bee hotels);
- holding a number of promotional events in the town both physical and online (at the local carnival, for Apple Day and for Blossom day etc.)
Polly Eaton, of the Justice and Peace Group, Tring who received the award on behalf of the community, said, ‘We are so excited to receive this. I just want to thank everyone who participated which is individuals, organisations, local government, schools. Just to say thank you for making Tring a pollinator friendly town and let’s keep doing it!’
Dr Luke Dixon, co-founder of the Bee Friendly Trust, said, ‘The Bee Friendly Town Awards celebrate the coming together of communities for the important cause of saving the nation’s bees and pollinators. By increasing wildlife habitats in towns, not only are communities providing forage spots and shelters for nature but they are also making their towns greener, friendlier and more uplifting places to live.
‘This year’s winners were chosen for their creative and collaborative approaches to making their towns Bee Friendly. We hope they will provide inspiration for other towns to do their bit and to enter the competition next year.’
To find out more about the Bee Friendly Trust and the Bee Friendly Town Awards, visit beefriendlytrust.org.