Cherry Tree Support Project Prague Uhříněves – Netluky – 2022-23

How did Bumblebees PLUS get involved in the project?

 In Prague's Uhříněves – next to Podleský Pond in Netukly, there's a beautiful old cherry orchard, and in it thrives a magnificent beetle – the cherry jewel beetle (Anthaxia candens).

He's a real beauty, but unfortunately, they're declining rapidly in our country, which is why encounters with them are becoming increasingly rare. They need old cherry wood for their development, and such places are becoming fewer and fewer.

There are several reasons, but surprisingly, humans cause a lot of it.

The current method of intensive fruit farming is more interested in young, low-statured modern fruit trees. As soon as these stop yielding a sufficient harvest, they are immediately replaced by new specimens. 

Farmers are not interested in old trees and old varieties. Old trees bear little fruit and require more care. Furthermore, old varieties of fruit trees create high crowns, making the fruit more difficult to harvest. For this reason, today's production orchards are mostly just tree stumps from which fruit is extracted… 

Fruit growers focus primarily on profit to succeed in competition. Yes, they have it tough, but is nature entirely to blame? Therefore, they don't even consider the important effect of large fruit tree canopies, which create shade and prevent the soil beneath them from drying out, etc. Furthermore, in partial shade, honey-producing plants grow, which are favoured by the delicate palates of insects - not just bumblebees.

Fortunately, there are still areas with old trees and people who care for them. There aren't many of them, but meeting them is always a balm to the soul.

One such place is precisely this beautiful old cherry orchard. Mrs. Jana, a true enthusiast, is dedicatedly working towards its preservation, as is the landowner. We take our hats off to their courage and will with which they've embarked on this, because there is and will continue to be a great deal of work involved. 

The striped bumblebee, a species on the verge of extinction in our country, used to be found in Netlucká třešňovka for a long time. However, its numbers have significantly worsened over the last 10 years. The last recorded occurrence was about 4-5 years ago, but another rare species, the large earth bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus), is still found here today. Therefore, it is not impossible that both species are still surviving here, but their populations are on the brink of extinction. By sowing suitable plants, we would like to help these local populations to develop again.

That's why on Saturday 4/11/2023 They met in Třešňovka and discussed possibilities for cooperation. Not only so that the beautiful cherry blossoms could flourish there, but also so that rare species of bumblebees, which used to be found there, would return to this place.  

The meeting was very pleasant, with great scope for collaboration. If everything goes to plan, we'll get started this year and if it goes even better... well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, everything is only just beginning.

We would be happy to involve your capable and hardworking hands in our planned planting of nectar-rich plants on the land. As soon as we get the green light, we'll go for it – Bumblebees Plus, Jakub Černý, and also you, if you're not afraid of hard work.

In the meantime, take a look at the photos from this beautiful place and make sure you have time in your diary for the end of November. You can see for yourselves that it's worth a bit of effort.