SLOVENIA, May 18 - This is the seventh year that bees and other pollinators are the focus of special attention globally on 20 May. In 2017, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), at Slovenia’s initiative, declared this day World Bee Day.

Pollinators are declining in number and diversity due to food shortages, climate change, lack of nesting sites, pesticides, and disease. There is no food security without pollinator diversity as at least half of the pollination in agriculture is done by wild pollinators. These are not only an important link in food, they also play a significant role in biodiversity and nature conservation. The most important habitat of pollinators are biodiverse, colourful and flowering meadows, i.e. meadows that are mowed once late in the season or no more than twice. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning therefore supports projects that contribute to improving the condition of grasslands with nature conservation importance.

Slovenia focuses most of its attention on honey bees, and many people do not know that more than 570 species of wild bees (bumblebees and solitary bees) have been found in Slovenia. Important pollinators also include hover flies, butterflies, certain beetles, and wasps. Several international projects are working to improve habitats and raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, with the aim of maintaining pollinator diversity and thus healthier and more resilient ecosystems.

Slovenia is one of the founding members of the global coalition on pollinators. These are the countries that believe that a country-led policy can drive political action and innovative measures to protect pollinators. In cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, we will continue to monitor wild pollinators in 2025 under the Climate Change Fund.

The National Institute of Biology (NIB) carried out a one-year pilot monitoring of wild pollinators in seven areas: Ljubljana, the Ljubljana Marshes, Lake Cerknica, Celje, Mengeš, Radensko Polje and Sovodenj. A transect survey recorded a total of 461 solitary bees, 49 bumblebees, and 907 hoverflies. The highest density of wild bees was found in the Radensko Polje area, followed by Celje, and Sovodenj, while the lowest density was found in the Lake Cerknica area. The area of Mengeš stands out as the most notable for hoverflies, with at least seven times more specimens recorded than in any other area. This is the first time that a large-scale transect survey of bees has been carried out in Slovenia.

Managers of protected areas also carry out various activities to protect wild pollinators, such as training and practical workshops, e.g. making hotels for wild pollinators, raising awareness about the importance of and threats to the species, and monitoring wild pollinators. These activities also aim to restore and create new grassland habitats – improving the diversity of grassland habitats through late, gradual, and selective mowing.

On the occasion of World Bee Day, the Minister for Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, Jože Novak, together with beekeeper and Mayor of the Municipality of Horjul, Janko Prebil, visited the beehive on the roof of the Ministry.