Jack Stride
Beekeeper, Stride’s Honey
‘The New Forest is special due to its diversity of the plants, which is great for the bees and other pollinators and creates a complex and interesting honey. As it is an ancient woodland that is formed on what was once a riverbed, its unique makeup with clay and chalk means we have a distinctive range of plants including heather. As the heather in the New Forest sits on gravel, the honey produced here is special.
‘I help by providing a healthy stock of bees – they are pollinating the flora and fauna of the Forest to maintain and encourage diversity of plants. I also raise awareness through experience days, workshops and at the market and advise people on how they can make their garden pollinator-friendly.
‘Tourism and overuse needs to be managed carefully as locals are being priced out of their villages.’
