Sideways News

It is the first time the method has been used in Poland in over 100 years

An ancient form of beekeeping is undergoing something of a revival in Poland's Spala forest as a small team of enthusiasts aim to attract bees to the area.

The method, which involves people giving bees a helping hand in creating their nests by cutting holes in trees and leaving honeycomb in the space to attract them, dates back thousands of years but was abandoned in the 19th century, reports the AFP.

But now a group of enthusiasts has set up around 20 such nests at the site 100km south of Warsaw and are starting to gather small amounts of the distinctive tree honey.

The group were taught how to harvest honey in trees by a team from Bashkortostan, Russia, where the practice is still going strong, with several of the Bashkir beekeepers travelling to Poland to set up the first hives.

It is hoped that the project, which is supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and two Polish national parks, can be expanded to thousands of nests across the nation in the future.

But for now the beekeepers are enjoying the fruits of all their hard work – a deep-gold coloured honey with a slightly smoky taste.

The tree honey is also thought to contain seven times more micro nutrients than regular honey, Przemyslaw Nawrocki, who is in charge of the project at the WWF, told the news provider.

Beekeeping is becoming an increasingly popular hobby in the UK, albeit using more modern methods. In August, the British Beekeepers' Association said its membership has grown by 20% in the last 18 months, to almost 20,000.

The pastime has attracted even more attention in recent months thanks to the launch of Omlet's Beehaus, a small hive which is ideal for gardens and roof spaces.

SIDEWAYS News for fresh perspectives