From Retha Buitendach

​Jenny & the Wild Bee Reserve

Written by Retha Buitendach 17 March 2024

I have always cared deeply about nature and all its creatures, especially insects.

It took one of Jenny Cullinan’s presentations though, to open my eyes to the sad realities of bee-farming and how negatively it impacts on the lives of those bees, as well as on those of wild bee species. Jenny has deepened my understanding of the intricate ways of bees and their place in the wider environment.

Through her long involvement with Nature reserves in South Africa, she gained insider experience on where the current system falls short and actually endanger what it aims to preserve. Jenny’s insights have made it clear to me how crucial it is for ecological harmony to keep human interference on a low level.

I believe that Jenny has what it takes to pioneer and steer towards a new, more effective way of preserving, conserving, and saving not only bees but all that makes a balanced ecosystem able to thrive. She has the eye of a scientist but the heart of one who is in tune with the natural world, and the grit to see a plan through whatever it takes.

The natural world needs someone who can open people’s eyes to the plight of nature AND move them towards constructive action. The world needs several Jennies!

As a visual artist myself, I am in awe of the photographs Jenny takes of bees. She reveals the miraculous of what her research uncovers.  This visual evidence cannot be ignored like mere words can. Jenny is not shy to speak the truth when it comes to fighting for endangered environments and creatures, and her photos speak an even louder universal language.

I am truly honored to have met Jenny and learn from her insights.

What a ray of hope that there is someone who can make a world-wide difference.

“In wildness is the preservation of the world”

Henry David Thoreau, 1862