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[The Orchards in the Community project] helped bring our different centres together as we had a group order which was a bit of a buzz.
The arrival of trees was great fun, and planting the trees with Residents here was a really lovely moment, taking photos, etc.
Mick B.
DCs for Bees
'Orchards In The Community 2022-23'
Orchards In The Community is part of the DCs for Bees initiative.
Orchards play a key role in providing an early food source for our struggling bees as they emerge from winter. To help protect the bees and increase pollination, this winter with YOUR help we will plant over 2,500 mixed fruit orchards all over Ireland.
'We want to better coexist with biodiversity and help return food and shelter for pollinators to our island.'
All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025
DCs for Bees Orchards & Resources
Our Aim
Encourage Biodiversity
Orchards are important habitats. This is because they make ideal homes for thousands of species of flora and fauna, including lichens, fungi and beetles.
To
Protect & Feed Pollinators
Fruit trees blossom early in the year, providing an important food source for our pollinators at the end of winter.
The deliberate spacing between trees also lets more sunlight in, which is welcome for flying insects, like butterflies and bees, who need warmth to power their flight muscles.
Community Awareness & Action
We will provide a means for organisation & community purpose based activity which will foster an appreciation of, and awareness for, protecting and encouraging biodiverse habitats in our local areas.
The Role of Orchards
Orchards have played an important role in communities for many centuries, providing a focal point, a gathering space, and a place where people and nature successfully work together to create abundant harvests.
Orchards provide vital green spaces in our cities and towns, where people are encouraged to interact with nature either through becoming custodians of the trees or by simply being around them and enjoying their shade, beauty and fruit.
How to apply for a Free DCs for Bees Community Orchard
All Community Pot Orchards for the past dormant season have now been allocated.
The project will run again in February 2023 dormant season, if you would like to register your interest and be in a position to take 10 or more of our DCs for Bees mixed fruit Orchards, please email orchards@hostinireland.com, marking your email Orchards 2023. Please let us know which county you are located in and the name of your community group.
Measuring Success
Working in collaboration with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, this project will enable Ireland for the first time to track concurrent pollination success. Something that is only made possible by planting the same orchards in multiple locations in the one growing season (Nov 2021 - March 2022) and (Nov 2022-March 2023).
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