The hives and the oasis
Sustainable beekeeping in a naturalistic oasis
The beehives are in the Zarda natural oasis of Settepolesini in Bondeno – Ferrara.
This oasis is characterized by the presence of a large quarry lake that has been a place of extraction of inert materials such as sand and clay for over 30 years.
The lake was called “Quaternary Lake” because the dug materials belong to the last glaciation, precisely, the geological period of the Quaternary
(10-15 thousand years ago).
The water of the lake is therefore, particularly pure. The lab tests, in fact, highlighted the presence of the Daphniae algae which can grow only in waters totally free of pollutants.
Furthermore, to make sustainable the inevitable environmental depletion due to mining activities, the Orpelli family started numerous activities to recover and enhance the surrounding environment, making this oasis a unique place for biodiversity in the entire territory of Ferrara.
Over the years, several trees and native bushes have been planted; the shores of the lake have been shaped to create areas of different depths and islets to encourage the nesting of resident and migratory birds. Thanks to the collaboration with the Department of Botany of the University of Ferrara more than 15,000 plants and bushes where planted with the aim to increase the number of “ecological corridors” that are, today, exploited by the Bee Patient bees.
The bees that produce Bee Patient honey, therefore, enjoy a unique habitat for biodiversity and water purity.
