Plans to help plant over 1,200 orchards to protect bee population

DATA centre group Equinix have joined Host in Ireland’s ‘Orchards in the Community’ initiative, which plans to help plant over 1,200 orchards across Ireland to protect the declining bee population.

Equinix is one of 52 pledgers – and more than 90 schools and community groups – planting 1,200 mixed fruit orchards all over Ireland as part of the wider DCs For Bees project.

The project’s Pollinator Plan is an industry-first effort geared towards saving Ireland’s bee population by leveraging the strength and depth of the country’s business community and address Ireland’s biodiversity plight head-on.

Equinix is sending orchards to primary and secondary schools to help give children the unique opportunity to get involved and learn about the importance of protecting pollinators. Charities and other community organisations such as Tidy Towns and local GAA grounds in more than six counties will also benefit from the orchards pledged by Equinix.

“The team at Equinix Ireland is very proud to support Host in Ireland’s Orchards in the Community initiative – a signature initiative geared towards saving Ireland’s bee population,” said Maurice Mortell, Equinix’s Sustainability Lead in EMEA and Managing Director for Ireland.

“At Equinix, we are taking action by planting orchards and pollinator-friendly plants, while also installing bug hotels at our existing sites in Dublin where possible and building these elements into the plans of new sites. This is an initiative that we are passionate about and we look forward to continuing to support the project into the future,” he added.