New perennial meadows were created in the surroundings of the Head Office of Slovenská sporiteľňa at Tomášikova Street in Bratislava. They were planted by the bank’s employees in cooperation with the non-profit organization Živica. Bankers planted the meadows for their fellow residents – approximately 60 thousand bees living on the roof of the Head Office. It is a continuation of a mutual project of the NGO and Foundation of Slovenská sporiteľňa to support insect pollinators in the urban environment. 

Insect pollinators are very important in towns where they pollinate the greenery and plants that the residents grow in their gardens or on balconies and terraces. At the same time green areas that are indeed functional and beneficiary for the pollinators are on decrease.
“We are glad that Slovenská sporiteľňa is participating in this project with such willingness and enthusiasm. After the first year of cooperation we can see that the bees are doing well on the top of the building, which is evidenced by approximately 50 kilograms of honey that we gained from them. Bees living on the roof are pollinating parks and gardens in the neighbourhood which helps increase the biodiversity and stability of greenery in the urban environment. In hot days like these greenery is an irreplaceable factor in cooling down and moistening air in the city. Slovenská sporiteľňa was the first private company which dared to place bee hives on its roof, and moreover, enabled its employees to participate in planting flower meadow around its Head Office,” says Petra Ježeková from the organization Živica and manager of the project.

Volunteers worked for 5 days and removed the grass carpet, brought quality soil and planted and sowed perennial meadows, which will drop seeds and bloom over the following years.
“We are happy that our colleagues took part in this project. We had to wait for a while, but in about a month the meadows came into bloom and now they are full of bees, bumblebees and butterflies. We can see them from the window of our canteen and watch them during lunch. And not just us, but also out clients, residents of the nearby apartment buildings and passers-by walking past our building towards the neighbouring Kuchajda,” said Danica Lacová, administrator of the Foundation of Slovenská sporiteľňa.

Contacts:

Non-profit organization Živica
Petra Ježeková, urban bees
0918 495 964, jezekova@zivica.sk

Slovenská sporiteľňa
Marta Cesnaková, spokeswoman
0910 880 084, cesnakova.marta@slsp.sk;