Meet Stuart Roweth, VoluntEER with the Heavens Valley Action group
Stuart Roweth is big into bees, totally into trees, and heavily into the Heavens. We find about more about his passions and projects.
Can you tell us a bit about how you came to live in Stroud?
We ended up in Stroud after escaping the big city! After running a tree surgery company in North London, moving to Stroud to develop other tree and bee projects was very appealing. I had known a little about Stroud since visiting in the 80s; it felt like a good move when my two sons were needing some space and a nice place to grow up in.
What’s your involvement with the Heavens Valley Action Group?
When I heard that Thrupp Farm was going to be sold, my first thoughts were that somebody might buy it for a housing development or as an equestrian operation. That would mean closing down access and missing the opportunity to protect and enrich the woods and meadows. Some of the Heavens neighbours shared the view that the land should be owned and managed by and for the community. This would open up so many possibilities, such as learning about natural history, getting involved in land management and learning rural skills.
There might be opportunities for young people to start up land-based enterprises or careers. Connecting with nature is an essential part of balancing peoples lives, as we are pushed towards more and more screen time.
Going forward. I’m going to help with volunteer groups and hopefully help to create an outdoor teaching space, where Stroud residents can learn about ecology.
Tell us more about your enthusiasm for beekeeping.
The Bee Gym [a device Stuart has invented to reduce infestations in bees] is a passive device that is located in certain parts of a beehive. It helps bees to scratch off Varroa mites, which if left untreated can destroy a colony over time. The idea is gaining in popularity as it accumulates more positive evidence for its effects. This approach allows beekeepers to limit the amount of mite-killing chemicals that go into a hive.
With regard to beekeeping; I make sure the bees are well and have enough stores, then, if they make a surplus of honey, I take some of that as a return for looking after them. Where I converge with natural beekeepers is on the subject of swarming. A colony that swarms has achieved what they most want; to reproduce the super-organism. It’s a joyous event to witness, the sky fills with bees, everything is chaos for 10 minutes, then they congregate in a huge cluster, clinging on to each other. Bees are fascinating, learning their secrets can be a rewarding pastime.
How long have you been involved with Stroud Valleys Project and what do you do for them?
This will be my fourth winter with SVP. I’m in charge of the tree planting volunteer group. We spend the season visiting sites all over the Stroud district, planting hedgerows and woodland trees, as well as some standard trees and fruit trees in parks and gardens.
Are you involved with any other sustainability initiatives?
I’m interested in alternative locations for tree planting. I’ve been working on sustainable terrace trees for urban spaces in particular.
Three things you can do today
- Eat well! With mainly plant-based ingredients. Which you can buy from Stroud community farms… aren’t we lucky?
- Find a suitable piece of land and plant loads of trees.
- Buy an electric car! There’s some secondhand bargains out there. Grab one while you can, before everyone realises how great they are!
Find out about more local Stroud Transitioneers
If you would like to share your sustainable living story, please contact Kerri on news@transitionstroud.org