As part of the EYFON meets FRIDA event, a youth meeting with young people from Sweden, Slovenia and Austria at Europaburg in Neumarkt in Styria, one day was dedicated to the importance of bees. Wild and honey bees are an important part of a functioning environment and a flourishing agriculture. The production of honey in Europe is largely sustainable and contributes to a sensible circular economy in line with the Green Deal. The young people were prepared in advance for the EU regulations and projects and learnt how the implementation of environmental goals can be realised using practical examples in the Zirbitzkogel – Grebenzen Nature Park. At the Naturlesemuseum Neumarkt, the pupils were able to familiarise themselves with the distribution of roles in the bee colony as well as the biology and lifestyle of bees at close quarters using a show beehive. The young people were able to make their own contribution to preserving the habitat of wild bees by making their own “flower bombs”. The afternoon was dedicated to a visit to the Maier family’s organic beekeeping business in Mühlen, which looks after around 70 bee colonies. The day-to-day work of a beekeeper, honey extraction and sustainable marketing were also discussed before the pupils were allowed to spin honey themselves and were able to taste the differences between blossom and forest honey during a tasting session.
