At the beginning of a Football Season that promises to be interesting for the national team, AS Monaco, the most popular and beloved Monegasque Club, launches a meaningful initiative to engage themselves in biodiversity protection. ‘Ruches Rouges & Blanches, du but au miel’ (Red & White Beehives, from goal to honey) is part of the new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy which is about to be officially announced. The principle is simple, the challenge is launched and we are already looking for the "Made in AS Monaco" honey. The leading idea is to install in the Principality a beehive every 10 goals scored in Ligue 1 Uber Eats, namely France’s Football Championship. Therefore, all sports fans will soon become ecology lovers, supporting the species which is the emblem of eternal rebirth and renewal of Nature. Doing the math, the sixty points won in the past Season by AS Monaco could have given life to six hives for a total of 200,000 bees.
But how will the initiative work in practice? Starting from the current Season, every time the team reaches the fixed score, a beehive will be financed. This means offering a home to a very large family of 40,000 bees within an urban farm managed by Terrae, the well-established company founded by Jessica Sbaraglia some years ago to provide organic agriculture techniques in urbanized spaces inspired by the permaculture approach. “The beehives will be set at the Odeon Tower where we already manage 10 hives, 60 hens and 400 square meters of market gardening as well as twenty fruit growers”, highlighted Jessica Sbaraglia to MONACŒCOART®. “What I like most of it is that it will make people aware of taking care of bees to improve our Planet”, she added.
Contrary to what one may think, bees’ survival is higher in town than in the countryside. Nevertheless, hives installations should be limited in number to ensure that bees have enough to eat nearby, without disrupting the existing ecosystem. This is one of the goals of Monaco’s urban agriculture company constantly committed in nourishing a targeted vegetable garden conceived as a source for food both for humans and other living beings.
Preserving the livelihood of bees means a lot for Monaco team. This key species, in fact, is increasingly threatened by most extreme phenomena, primarily caused by climate change. The new initiative by AS Monaco aims at contributing to the cause with a small but significant gesture. The precious nectar (6 to 8 kilos produced per hive) will be partly offered to the opposing delegations within the traditional exchange of gifts protocol to engage more actors in the project. Furthermore, a series of educational activities for students will be organized in Monaco.
Photos >> The urban farm next to the Odeon Tour led by Terrae - © Terrae
Red & White Beehives aims at making passion for the environment flourish in sports lovers, thus increasing sports values even higher. A challenge that springs under the best auspices.
What inspired the creation of Terrae (former Terres de Monaco)?
“I have been living in Monaco for twelve years. After graduating in business in my home Country, I came here to create a Design Center. Unfortunately, soon after I had to change plans. Then, I brought myself to answer a few existential questions: What do I want to leave as value? What is my mission? And so on. I recalled then my parents who had a vegetable garden in Switzerland for fun. I especially enjoyed the taste of those vegetables that I had never tasted later. Therefore, I started growing vegetables on my very small balcony in Monaco and I found eating your own salad’s production very meditative. So, I started to involve in it my neighbourhood. And one day I realized that in Monaco there was a lot of space for harvesting on rooftops. That is how my company, Terres de Monaco was born in 2016. Terrae, the current name, has two main values: making a high-quality organic production and transmitting its knowledge to leave a trace in the future. We produce about four tons of vegetables every year while providing seven schools in Monaco with a vegetable garden. All this allows us to sensitize about 2,000 children yearly”. (Jessica Sbaraglia)
How the project was born?
This special synergy between Terrae and AS Monaco was born by chance. Madame Sbaraglia pointed out: “Our partnership began with the development of a small vegetable garden in La Turbie. Then, we talked about bees and we came up with the idea”.
Photo >> Bees and honey jars - © Wix.com
How long does a beehive take to make honey? How will it be distributed?
“It usually takes two years, if it is new; one year, otherwise. Then, the honey will be given in small jars at the use of AS Monaco and their clients” (Jessica Sbaraglia)
Is it possible for bees to live in close contact with humans and vice versa?
“Bees are not at all aggressive being mostly busy finding pollen. So, if you are not afraid and you do not make sudden gestures, cohabitation goes very well”. (Jessica Sbaraglia)
What role do bees play in Planet Earth’s ecosystems?
Bees are essential to our biodiversity because of their pollination of plants. According to United Nations, 40% of what we eat and 80% of plant species on Earth depend directly on pollen exchange. The reduction in the number of bees can adversely affect the natural equilibrium favouring the concentration of carbon dioxide as a consequence of the decrease of plant species. As a matter of fact, global warming, increased pesticide use and the expansion of the Asian hornet have significantly increased bees mortality rates. ***
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By Maurice Abbati