“Wherever I wander, bees seem to follow,” shares Matt Somerville, a skilled carpenter and dedicated conservationist. Over the past 14 years, he has devoted himself to crafting and installing around 800 bee homes throughout the picturesque landscapes of the English countryside, playing a crucial role in supporting the declining bee populations.
The story of Somerville’s efforts is beautifully captured in “The Hive Architect”, a documentary directed by Max Weston and produced by the outdoor clothing brand Fera. In this film, viewers follow the resourceful, pipe-smoking woodworker as he chisels out a log, constructs a conical roof, and journeys into a meadow to set up his carefully crafted hives. Fera highlights a prevalent notion: “There is a commonly accepted belief that our British honey bee simply couldn’t thrive without the intervention of beekeepers. However, for conservationists like Matt Somerville, this belief is absurd.”
With winter’s chill bringing him to his workshop, Somerville dedicates this time to crafting as many hives as possible. As nature awakens in spring, he ventures to beautiful locations, utilizing a special rig he has designed to install these hefty creations solo.
To delve deeper into Somerville’s inspiring work and explore his fascinating process, you can visit his website at Bee Kind Hives. (via Kottke)
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