Filenews 18 August 2022 - by Natasha Christoforou
In a unique way, the nine beekeeping villages of mountainous Larnaca will emerge, which will soon acquire three thematic beekeeping trails, which will include seating, sunbeds, but also... hotels with "rooms" and "suites" for lonely bees.
The study and the architectural plans for the three paths, which will be created in Odou, Vavla and Vavatsinia, has already been prepared. These are the only thematic trails in the whole of Cyprus, which has a total of 95 marked nature trails, inside and outside state roads.
The creation of the three trails is an initiative of the Troodos Network, with the support of the Larnaca Tourism Development and Promotion Company, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the Community Councils. Each trail will have its own thematic identity, on the basis of a special design and elements will be included in it depending on the subject, with provisions for relaxation areas and a common element the "hotels" of bees.
As the officer of the Larnaca ETAP, Nana Asmeni Pavlou, told "F", first the beekeeping path of Vavatsinias will be created, in the area of the existing path of nature 2.5 km long and degree of difficulty 2. Work is expected to start in September and will be completed by the end of this year.
According to the design, the path will be cleaned and opened, steps will be built and the fencing will be improved. Then there will be equipment such as a hexagonal wooden pavilion in the shape of a beehive, hexagonal benches, wooden sunbeds and four bee "hotels". These are special constructions made of perforated wood, small trunks, reeds and bricks that form small and large "rooms", with the aim of nesting solitary bees, which do not produce honey, but are among the most important pollinators of crops and plants.
In addition to the trail, educational signs will be placed, with information about honey and bees, and beekeeping plants will be planted.
In 2023, it is also expected to create the Bavlas beekeeping trail, for which a fund has been secured from the European program Be.Cultour, through cooperation between the Troodos Network, the ETAP and the Larnaca Development Company.
Impressive is expected to be the project on Odos, which will be the only one that will not be created on an existing nature trail, but on an old path with a waterfall that was revealed after last year's catastrophic fires. Actions are already being taken by the community council to secure the required permits in order to turn on the "green" light for this path as well.
Creation of a "brand" for the 9 beehives
Mrs. Pavlou said that the whole effort is part of the creation of a "branding" for the nine beekeeping villages of Larnaca, which are Odou, Melini, Ora, Vavatsinia, Agioi Vavatsinias, Kato Lefkara, Lagia, Vavla and Kato Drys. "This is an action with multifaceted benefits, which will help, among other things, to enrich the tourist product of mountainous Larnaca in a sustainable way, as well as to further highlight the beekeeping villages."
Already in the bee villages there are many events and activities related to the bee such as the three "Honey Festivals" that take place every year in Odos, Ora and Melini. In addition, there is a Museum of Bee and Embroidery in Kato Drys and a beekeeping park has been created in Melini.
"But there is also a very commendable private initiative, such as the laboratories in Vavla that give the opportunity to someone to become a beekeeper for a day and the very innovative activity of beekeeping, which was developed in an apiary between Odos and Melini, where the derivatives of the hive are used, for therapeutic applications", noted Mrs. Pavlou.
