Did you know that there are approximately 90,000 different animal, plant and microbe species in Scotland? We are incredibly lucky to live in a country with such a diverse ecosystem. Protecting biodiversity is imperative for the survival of species and promoting the role these species play in safeguarding our environment. ROMAR International is a business with environmental concerns at the centre of its product base, and helping our industry to reduce its environmental impact is important to us.
Supporting the community in which we live and work is at the heart of our operation. To help combat the loss of natural insect habitats and support future generations learning about the importance of biodiversity and its environmental impact, the ROMAR team is distributing ‘bug hotels’ to local schools and nurseries. Bug hotels provide a snug home for insects to hibernate and can be oodles of fun for school children when learning about beasties. Additionally, these specially made boxes encourage biodiversity and help support beneficial insects that pollinate flowers and control pests.
ROMAR’s bug hotels were created by local social enterprise Wood RecyclAbility. Based in Pitmedden, Wood RecyclAbility offers adults with additional support needs genuine training and employment opportunities by crafting products from recycled wood. Brain Reid, Operations Manager at Wood RecyclAbility, has commented on the partnership and said: “We have been providing work experience and opportunities in the community for over 20 years, and the social and environmental benefit we provide is crucial. As a self-sustaining organisation, it means a lot when local businesses such as ROMAR work alongside us, and we were delighted to supply their bug hotels. On average, we process 1,500 tonnes of waste wood per year at our facility, which is largely sourced from offshore companies – this partnership truly feels like a full-circle moment.”
With our bug hotels now being distributed across Aberdeen, we look forward to hearing about which visitor’s check-in and its impact on local youngsters’ learning outcomes. We have remaining hotels that still need a home; if you know a school in the local area that could benefit from our bug hotel programme, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
To keep up-to-date with our bug hotels’ journey and find out more about how ROMAR is supporting the local community, please follow our LinkedIn page by clicking here.