Epping Forest Division hosted the 2013 EBKA conference on Saturday 21 September entitled Plants, Pollinators, Pesticides and Pathogens.

This one day conference  featured bee experts, ecologists, entomologists and horticulturalists

Set in the majestic woodland of the North Weald, the conference took place in the cedar pavilions. A splendid luncheon was put on and people enjoyed the conversation and guided walks in the woods. The weather didn’t quite hold, but it was hard to dampen the spirits of the attendees.

Clive de Bruyn proved to be a engaging as ever talking about forage and feeding.

Dr. Alison Haughton gave an enlightening talk about the foraging value, or otherwise, of what bees would find in farmer’s fields.

Professor Dave Goulson delivered an excellent, although worrying, talk about the damage that neonicotinoids are doing to our bees and countryside and also how worrying it is that they build up in the soil and leech into water courses. Professor Goulson also has a book out “A Sting in the Tale”, which is shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction this year.

Last, but by far not least, we had a talk by Professor Nigel Dunnett about “pictorial meadows” of wildflowers in place of public lawns, brightening the lives of those in Rotherham and Sheffield; and also his work in delivering the wonderful wildflower meadows at the Olympic Park.

We finished up with the presentations of Trophies for the winners of the Essex Honey Show, awarding of certificates of those doing who had undertaken BBKA examinations and the handover to Southend Division who will be presenting the conference next November.

You can read more on the Epping forest beekeepers website.