The European Bee Award is an annual event, established in 2014 by the European Landowners’ Organization (ELO) and the European Agricultural Industry Association (CEMA), to acknowledge innovative, efficient, and scalable projects safeguarding bees and pollinators.
This year's edition of the European Bee Award, which took place in Brussels, Belgium on 29 November 2023, aligned with its Decennial, bringing together several bee- and pollinator-oriented projects and initiatives across Europe. The competition received 35 applications from 16 different European countries and gathered over 90 participants, including beekeepers, policymakers, land managers, academia, and representatives of the agri-food sector.
The two winners in this tenth edition are:
- Category ‘Land management practices’: LIFE PollinAction “Actions for boosting pollination in rural and urban areas”. PollinAction is a LIFE project aimed at increasing landscape heterogeneity and connectivity through the creation of a Green Infrastructure (GI) in rural and urban landscapes, as a tool to mitigate the pollination crisis, increase pollinator provision, and help develop multifunctional spaces.
- Category ‘Innovative and technological solutions’: SPEAR® Bioinsecticide by Vestaron. SPEAR® is a novel peptide bioinsecticide, developed targeting a class of peptides that could kill insect and mite pests efficiently, but would be safe for humans, birds, fish, pollinators, and the environment. The company developed a proprietary platform for peptide optimisation and fermentation-based production, to yield a wide variety of peptide-based solutions for crop protection challenges.
There were for the first time two Special Mentions of the Jury assigned:
- Vesp’Action by Polleniz, an initiative contributing to the biodiversity protection against the invasive species Vespa Velutina, with key citizen contributions through the flagging of possible nests
- TOXIBEES, by Label BEE FRIENDLY, an online tool to quickly access information on the toxicity of any pesticide towards bees and pollinating insects.
The Safeguard project showcased a diverse array of materials during the event. Attendees gained comprehensive insights into the project's mission, objectives, and actions through engaging mediums such as a policy brief, a one-pager, and stickers.
You can learn more about the European Bee Award Ceremony here.
Photo: Safeguard promotional materials displayed at the European Bee Award 2023