Among the most pressing threats to the long-term survival of bees and other pollinators are climate change and habitat loss. As the world’s most crucial group of pollinators, bees are an essential part of agricultural production and natural ecosystem functions – but their condition also serves as an indicator for the general health and balance of the environment. Drawing on the multi-disciplinary expertise of the team as well as the knowledge of specialized partners, Goumbook is able to approach this complex issue from several angles: By planting trees and raising awareness about conservation, the habitat of key species such as bees is protected. After a decade of planting locally, there are now multiple benefits to be reaped from the mature trees which create a positive social and economic impact beyond the environmental benefits.
Honeybees have been living on Earth for over 100 million years. They occur naturally over vast and diverse geographic areas. Apiculture is the deliberate rearing of bees for production of honey and other bee products. The practice of beekeeping is believed to date back thousands of years. Thanks to its many medical uses and health benefits, raw honey has long been used as one of the most effective folk remedies of all time and is, along with other bee products often found in natural cosmetics and beauty products. In rural areas with a high concentration of Ghaf trees Goumbook has established partnerships to start producing honey from the UAE’s national tree, adding a cultural heritage value to the health benefits of the final product.
L’Occitane, sharing this commitment to nature and the restoration of vital ecosystems, has been supporting the planting of indigenous tree species through the Give a Ghaf program since 2016, first planting seeds, then 50 Ghaf trees in 2019. To mark World Bee Day on May 20th, the partnership has been taken one step further: By sponsoring temporary apiaries consisting of ten hives in one rural and one urban location in Dubai, L’Occitane demonstrates the brand’s corporate social responsibility and commitment to nature. Thanks to this dedication, the approximately 400,000 bees hosted by those apiaries can continue to perform essential ecosystem services for our local environment, which in turn our businesses and livelihoods depend on. Beyond pollinating food crops and wild plants, producing nutritious honey, and thus supporting our food supply and income generation, bees contribute to complex, interconnected ecosystems and allow a number of different species to co-exist.
Through their contributions L’Occitane also supports Goumbook’s planting programs “Give a Ghaf” and “Trees Matter” which work to restore nature, preserve biodiversity, and increase community resilience in the UAE and abroad.
For more information about our Give A Ghaf Honey Project, please visit HERE