Those who drive through the small village of Doeveren (municipality of Heusden) see insect hotels in almost every garden. They not only provide more life in nature, but also bring the 75 fellow villagers closer together. “Thanks in part to those cupboards, people make a chat more often and the village has become much stronger,” says resident Marjolein Nieuwelink.
What started as an idea to make an insect hotel, grew into a project in Doeveren in which almost the entire village participated. “We wanted to organize something where people can meet and with which we could literally make the village a little more beautiful,” says Astrid van Oijen. She is active in the ONS Doeveren neighborhood committee, which was founded two years ago to connect the inhabitants more.
The insect hotel project is the biggest initiative of Ons Doeveren so far. “I sometimes saw insect hotels in the store and thought: it was made that way. But that was quite disappointing,” says Astrid. “Fortunately we only had to send a message in the BuurtApp and then a club of people was ready to help.”
“Almost everyone in the village has an insect hotel in the garden.”
A neighbor took care of wood through an auction site, other residents gathered pine cones in the dunes and a farmer arranged straw. A group of handy inhabitants sawed and carved 26 wooden constructions, so that other villagers only had to set them up all the materials.
Astrid and Marjolein took a short course about which animals like to stay where and how you can best organize an insect hotel. “How you make it depends entirely on which critters you want to put on,” explains Marjolein. The place also turned out to be important: “You can’t just put them somewhere. They have to hang at the right height, with plants that attract insects. We first had to deepen ourselves.”
The women organized a special construction evening for all residents in the neighborhood. Doeveren has no community center, so the activities take place in a shed of one of the residents. In the meantime that place is called ‘De Buurtschuur’. During that construction evening, a large part of all 75 inhabitants came by. From young to old.
“Some made an insect hotel for their own garden, others for their grandfather or neighbor. And everyone helped each other. That made it so much fun,” says Astrid. District of fellow villager Marjolein adds: “Almost everyone in Doeveren now has an insect hotel in the garden.”
“We really became one village.”
According to Astrid and Marjolein, the project has yielded more than just cupboards for animals. “We could always find each other if it was necessary. But now people make a chat easier or even do fun things together. We really have become one village,” says Marjolein. In the meantime, the neighborhood committee, which consists of a total of four women, has organized numerous activities. From dance and cooking lessons to one pool party For the entire village.
The next plan is also ready: making bird houses. “I said: let’s just buy a few who can paint anyone. But then the men immediately said: no dude, we make it all ourselves again. So that will be sanding, saw and carpentry again,” Astrid smiles.
