On February 15th, our university held the first "Kanto Student Beekeepers Gathering," and at the same time established the "Kanto Student Beekeeping League."
The Kanto Student Beekeeping League was initiated by Professor Yoshito Wada of the Faculty Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at our university, and Teacher Naoki Kojima of Yasuda Gakuen Junior and Senior High School, and its purpose is to promote the exchange of information and interaction between groups engaged in beekeeping activities at educational institutions in the Kanto region.
In recent years, with the spread of the SDGs and growing interest in environmental issues, "urban beekeeping" has become popular all over the country, and many student beekeepers are active in educational institutions such as universities and high schools. However, many groups are still working day by day, as the climate, surrounding environment, and the effects of Varroa mites can worsen the conditions for beekeeping. There are also issues such as how to utilize the honey that is harvested.
At this gathering, a keynote speech was given by Teacher Naoki Kojima, and students from 11 groups (two high schools and nine universities), including students from our university's "Koudai Bee Garden," gave about 10-minute activity reports and a networking session. Starting with this event, the group plans to share their research results and knowledge to solve their problems and issues, and contribute to the preservation of the ecosystem.
We are focusing on revitalizing the local area and greening the area through product development and events, but at science universities, each organization has its own unique features, such as using AI and science and technology to study the movements and behavior of honeybees. I learned a lot from the reports on the activities of other organizations and was able to share my concerns, which was a very meaningful time. I would like to work hard on my beekeeping business, taking into consideration the activities of other organizations that I learned about this time.
Rintaro Kimoto, second-year student Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (graduated from Funabashi Shibayama High School)