MEDITE SMARTPLY have partnered with the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and created a set of six insect hotels using MEDITE TRICOYA EXTREME (MTX), weather resistant MDF, to help encourage biodiversity across Ireland, especially the falling bee population.
Used as nest sites by insects such as solitary bees, insect hotels have come to play an important role in helping local wildlife to thrive, especially in urbanised areas. In city or town environments that lack enough natural space to allow wildlife to prosper, insect hotels can make all the difference. Plus, they are a great learning tool for children!
“Being part of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan is another step for raising support for the environment and awareness of how much we can influence it,” said MEDITE SMARTPLY Environmental Officer, Federico Mento. “We want future generations to continue to enjoy our landscape and resources. This is why we, as a company, are committed to managing all our activities in a sustainable way.
The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan was devised when it became clear that the bee population in Ireland has decreased by one third—a huge amount. This is mainly due to the vast reduction in the availability of food (bee-friendly flowers) and safe nesting sites in most landscapes, which have been taken over by urbanisation.
It aims to bring together farmers, gardeners, local authorities, schools and businesses, to create an Ireland where pollinators can survive and thrive.
While one hotel has been installed in the grounds of MEDITE SMARTPLY HQ in Kent, one will reside at the MEDITE MDF factory in Clonmel, one at the SMARTPLY factory in Waterford and the final three have been gifted to local Irish schools to encourage awareness of how preserving and creating natural habitats influences biodiversity.
Carpenter John Tobin created each hotel. “John Tobin is an excellent choice for this project, as he has previously made a beehive out of MTX with great success,” said Jamie Buckett, Research and Development Technician at MEDITE SMARTPLY. “It was only natural for us to commission John once again for the insect hotels.”
MTX is a durable weather resistant MDF panel which can be used in applications once limited to products such as concrete, plastics or metals. It’s guaranteed for up to 50 years outdoors above ground and 25 years below ground.
As a sustainably produced product that also contains no added formaldehyde, it was a clear choice for helping to build structures that will eventually be occupied by local wildlife. It’s just one example of MEDITE SMARTPLY’s extensive range of products designed with wellbeing and sustainability in mind.
MTX maintains all the design, fixing and machining flexibility of medium density fireboards, making it an ideal choice for this project, which required a malleable material.
It can provide designers, landscape architects and carpenters with an entirely new construction material for outdoor applications or projects—event those involving water—allowing great design flexibility and endless opportunities for creativity.
