The University of Twente is based on the former Drienerlo estate, and features abundant greenery, as well as labs, classrooms, housing and shops. We strive to preserve the quality and biodiversity of nature. The campus should be a great place to study and work, but also to exist in balance with the animals and plants that have their home here. One of the measures UT has taken is the installation of a bee hotel.
The University of Twente is committed to improving sustainability and biodiversity in and around the campus. To reinforce these intentions, UT organises several initiatives. One of these initiatives, in collaboration with Zone.College students, was the installation of a bee hotel. To boost bee and other insect populations, a bee hotel was installed behind the Horst.
The students brainstormed about the requirements and conditions of a bee hotel: How would it fit UT's landscape the best? They then presented a draft, which was translated into a final design. Various steps were taken to counteract the unevenness of the surrounding grass and protect the new flower mixtures from birds. The result is impressive: insects and bees fly around the hotel to their hearts' content. Furthermore, wildflowers require poor soil. The nutrient-rich soil around the bee hotel needed to be removed, so that wildflowers thrive and attract insects.
