A large number of beekeepers in Greece is currently being brought before the courts following decisions by local forestry authorities because they have placed their beehives in pine forest areas. This action is particularly alarming, given that pine forests are the backbone of Greek apiculture, accounting for approximately 65% of the country’s annual honey production.
The accusations against these beekeepers are unfounded. Greek legislation explicitly permits the placement and operation of beehives within forest areas, provided that general environmental and safety rules are respected. Consequently, the current prosecutions represent not only a misinterpretation of the national law, but also a serious threat to the sustainability of Greek beekeeping and to the livelihoods of thousands of professional and semi-professional beekeepers, consequently also massively affecting consumers that recognise the importance of local honey and other bee products.
The president of EBA, Boštjan Noč, fully supports the right of greek beekeepers to practice beekeeping in forests freely and without unjustified restrictions. This issue is not a purely national matter, but one of broader European concerns, directly affecting apicultural sustainability, pollination services, and rural economies. EBA will do everything to help greek beekeepers.
Read more about it in the EBA magazine: “A Cry of Desperation from Greek Beekeepers over the Prohibition of Beekeeping in Forest Areas” (2025; 17: 27–29)
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