The Conservation of local honey bee is not only essential for the apiculture & agriculture sectors, but also important for the floral 
and faunal 
biodiversity we see around us! This issue is not only our fight, but also the European Union’s! The following are excerpts from an European Parliament resolution on policies related to the conservation of local honey bees;
“Studies have concluded that local and regional breeds of bees survive better in a given area than breeds of honey bees settled from elsewhere; whereas the long-term health and sustainability of the apiculture sector in Europe rests on ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of local honey bee ecotypes, given their diversity and ability to adapt to local environments.”
“Calls, therefore, on the Commission and the Member States to provide the necessary incentives to encourage locally developed practices, in order to preserve honey bee ecotypes and cultivation throughout the EU.”
“Calls on the Commission and the Member States to put in place measures to increase legal protection and financial support for local honey bee ecotypes and populations throughout the EU, including by means of legally protected locally endemic honeybee conservation areas.”
“Calls on the Member States and the regions to use all means possible to protect local and regional honeybee species (strains of Apis mellifera bees) from the undesirable spread of naturalised or invasive alien species having a direct or indirect impact on pollinators…recommends Member States to create centres devoted to the breeding and safeguarding of native bee species; underlines in this regard the importance of developing breeding strategies to increase the frequencies of valuable traits in local honeybee populations.”
The Maltese honey bee needs your help. Let’s transform apiculture into a future-proof sustainable sector. Inform yourself, raise awareness and be part of this shift in mindset!
Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee 
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