Whitebarrel Winery and Avila Scientific Announce a Partnership to create a Bee Sanctuary and Research Center

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. - Jan. 10, 2016 - PRLog -- Whitebarrel Winery, a division of Attimo Group, LLC, announced that it has partnered with Avila Scientific (Blacksburg, VA) to create a bee sanctuary and research center in Floyd, VA. “Whitebarrel Winery used to have hives on the property and in 2013 lost all its hives,” said Dr. Theresa Gallagher. They were lost in a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder. Scientists are scrambling to determine the cause. Whitebarrel owners Drs. Gallagher and Richard Obiso want to find the answer as well. “We’re planning on putting up to 50 hives out there and planting very nectar-rich flowers and trees in a very seasonal cycle,” Gallagher said. Their goal is to open a bee sanctuary and research center on more than seven acres in Floyd with a satellite at the winery in Christiansburg. “Not only will this be a sanctuary and research center, but we hope that the tourism that’s created by this will allow for tours and education,” Obiso said. The cost to make it happen — including establishing 50 beehives — and planting bee-friendly trees and flowers is big with the potential to positively impact the area. “It will allow us to expand tourism in the area as well because it will be an active farm,” Obiso said. The team started an Indiegogo Campaign (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bee-sanctuary-and-research-center/x/12985129#/).

For more information about the winery, please contact us at 540-382-7619 or visit the website at: www.whitebarrel.com.