For the preservation
of bees
Sandra and Adrien are
committed to preserving biodiversity at the local level
Their real estate agency, DESORMIERE & VANHALST, has chosen to partner with Stéphanie's Ark of Bees and Honey Foundation
Adrien and Sandra’s winged charges live in Troinex, in an idyllic setting.
Their hive, along with a few others, is located on the edge of a small wood.
A lovely meadow lies opposite their flight path, and a river flows nearby.
A little corner of paradise, somewhat secluded from passersby, ideal for the little bees to thrive.
Bees are tiny in size — barely 1.5 cm! But they play a huge role in our environment.
Foraging from one flower to another to gather nectar has an enormous impact: in doing so, bees carry pollen and ensure the production of fruits and vegetables. Pollination fills our plates and ensures the reproduction of plants from one season to the next.
Some statistics:
87% of the world’s crops depend on pollinators. And bees account for more than 90% of these pollinators*.
This shows just how essential the role of bees is!
A species facing mass extinction!
“In 2012, nearly 50% of bee colonies were wiped out in Switzerland**. This 50% rate corresponds to the staggering disappearance of 100,000 colonies!” This is what Stéphanie Vuadens, founder of Miels de Stéphanie and Arche des Abeilles, tells us.
The main factors responsible for their disappearance are:
- Disease: several diseases affect bees, but the most serious are caused by a parasite, the Varroa mite. This Asian mite bites adult bees and larvae, transmits diseases to them, and decimates colonies. While Asian bees know how to defend themselves against it, European domestic bees do not. It is currently the greatest threat facing honey bees!***
- Predators: the number one enemy of bees is the Asian hornet. It arrived in Geneva in the summer of 2020. The authorities are taking this threat very seriously and are communicating about it. It kills bees to feed its larvae.
- Pesticides and plant protection products: even in small doses, they disrupt what serves as a GPS system for bees. Disoriented, they can no longer find their way back to the hive.****
- The disappearance of flowers: there are fewer and fewer vegetated areas, fewer flowers, and therefore less food for bees.
- Climate change
“These small insects are the pillars of our ecosystem, of our food security, and of our quality of life. The smooth functioning of society as a whole depends on their existence and their health.
Make no mistake — the suffering or disappearance of domestic and wild bees has incalculable consequences on our lives as human beings.” adds beekeeper Stéphanie Vuadens.
A top-tier partner
The choice was clear for Sandra and Adrien: the Arche des Abeilles Foundation.
It is the only Swiss Foundation dedicated to bees, non-profit, recognized as a public utility, and was established in Geneva in September 2019 by Stéphanie Vuadens.
If you are not familiar with the young beekeeper’s name, you have most likely already seen her charming honey jars, as they are prominently displayed on the shelves of our local shops.
Since 2020, Tiffany Baio has joined Stéphanie as director of the Arche des Abeilles Foundation.
The two young women and their team are multiplying their efforts to protect bees and raise public awareness.
The Foundation’s objectives therefore include the preservation of domestic and wild bees, as well as raising awareness and educating young people about the importance of these essential insects.
It was through this that Sandra met Tiffany at an event organized by the town of Troinex on the theme of sustainable development.
A visit to the beehives at Parc de la Drize was offered to the public, with explanations and even the opportunity to handle the frames containing the honeycombs! An unforgettable experience.
So when Adrien and Sandra wanted to take concrete action in support of local biodiversity, they naturally reached out to Tiffany.
They were won over by the values and actions of the Arche des Abeilles Foundation and Miels de Stéphanie, and in particular:
- nurturing and protecting bees, working at their pace rather than the other way around
- the honey harvested is solely the surplus of the bees’ own production: Stéphanie makes sure to leave them what they need to live from one season to the next. This is why, in some years, the honey harvest is small — because the priority is not to produce but to preserve bee colonies.
- creating a fully artisanal product, 100% raw from the hive. “It goes directly from our natural wax combs to your honey jar with no intermediary,” says Stéphanie. It is also a celebration of “eating well,” praised by many tables of renowned Chefs who have adopted her production.
- creating more wildflower meadows: 50,000 m2 of bee-friendly flowers already planted by the Foundation!
- raising awareness among younger generations through this essential work by organizing visits to Geneva schools and welcoming them to their educational apiary in Satigny.
To make these actions possible – and many more! – the support of sponsors is essential to the Foundation. This is why
Sandra and Adrien have decided to become sponsors through their real estate agency Désormière & Vanhalst, and to give an added sense of purpose to their work.
“Sponsoring a beehive means getting directly and very concretely involved in an extremely local form of ecology, with a tangible, real and immediate return.” says Stéphanie.
You too can make an ecological gesture for the protection of bees by choosing Adrien Désormière and Sandra Vanhalst to carry out your real estate project.
Help them preserve nature and all of our quality of life.