Hundreds of thousands of bees flew around NCC's aggregate, soil reception and recycling areas in Ohkola and Pornainen this past summer. The bees supported the biodiversity of the areas with their pollination and at the same time produced kilos of local honey.
Biodiversity in NCC's rock material areas is developed and increased, among other things, by creating meadow environments important for pollinators, removing harmful alien species, and implementing butterfly surveys as well as deadwood and twig fence projects.
In addition, there are beehives in Ohkola and Pornainen in Mäntsälä, which have been present in the areas since 2016. In the summer of 2025, there were a total of eight beehives in the areas.
"The pollination service, implemented in collaboration with professional beekeepers, supports the ecosystem of the areas. By pollinating, bees promote the well-being of both wild plants and cultivated plants. During the past summer, the beehives produced a nice addition of about 200 kilograms of honey, which has been canned to the delight of NCC's own personnel and stakeholders," says the project manager. Raija Inkiläinen.
Ohkola beekeeper Mervi Rautiainen According to him, summer 2025 was challenging.
“The hives became crowded when the flying bees could not do their work due to the cold early summer. The hot July was also not pleasant for the bees. Despite everything, the Ohkola flower mound was abundant, and the bees produced a good honey harvest. The average hive yield was about 60 kg,” Rautiainen says.
The bees spend the coming winter in their own nests. When the weather gets colder, they move into a ball formation and keep the hive and the queen warm by moving their wing muscles.
"The girls have a job to do when all the drones have been evicted from the hive during the autumn. The hive must be strong so that it can survive the winter. The autumn feeding is sugar syrup, which is given to each hive at a rate of about 25 kg. The bees dry and process it in the hive, and use it during the winter," continues Mervi Rautiainen.
Photos: Kari Torkkola
The article was originally published on the NCC website..
The aim of the NCC Kielo program is to implement solutions that maintain and promote biodiversity already during the aggregate operations.
The goal of the NCC Kielo program, which began in 2012, is to implement solutions that maintain and promote biodiversity simultaneously with business operations.
Several rock material areas have taken numerous measures to strengthen the biodiversity of the areas, which are a good start to the NCC Kielo program with strict criteria. In Finland, there are currently official Kielo areas in Ohkola and Pornainen.
The creation of meadow environments suitable for pollinators has been designated as a significant conservation target in NCC Kielo areas in Finland.