A common question we get at Alvéole is: how does an urban beekeeping program benefit the environment? We love this question because it shows a property team’s dedication to environmental sustainability – and because the answer is that it benefits the environment in many different ways!
Here are the top environmental benefits of bringing a nature-based, responsible urban beekeeping program to your building.
SPREADING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
We’ve seen it time and time again: once someone falls in love with bees, they feel the need to protect them. Bees tend to be misunderstood creatures (see why their stingers are nothing to be afraid of) so environmental education is a key part of any urban beekeeping initiative.
Through workshops, beekeeper visits, and educational materials, participants will soak up all kinds of information about bees, the essential role they play in food systems, the immense environmental challenges they face, and things individuals and organizations can do to support them.
Read: 7 things you can do to help bees and all pollinators
SUPPORTING HABITAT FOR WILD BEES
Honey bees have a habit of hogging the attention, but a responsible urban beekeeping program should take action to support wild bees too. Wild bees are just as essential for pollination – in fact, one mason bee can pollinate as many flowers as 100 honey bees!
Because these bees are undomesticated and rely on plant materials to make their nests, they are heavily impacted by urban sprawl. Installing a BeeHome (part of Alvéole’s urban beekeeping service) is one way to give wild bees a boost. Made up of hollow wooden tubes, these structures offer wild bees a safe place to nest and lay their eggs.
Read: How you can support wild bees by installing a BeeHome on your property
GROWING MORE FOOD FOR ALL POLLINATORS
One of the most direct ways to support pollinators is to plant more flowers. Alvéole is a member of 1% for the Planet. This means 1% of annual revenue is given back to environmental non-profits. As an Alvéole client, you’ll know your bee program is helping fund organizations who are working to create more pollinator habitat.
When you partner with Alvéole, you also have the option to have us work with your landscaping team to provide consultation on the best native and bee-friendly flowers to grow on your property. Alternatively, you can take the hands-off route and cultivate a bee-friendly urban garden, installed and maintained by one of our expert urban farming partners.
CONTRIBUTING DATA TO POLLINATOR PROTECTION RESEARCH
A honey bee hive holds a massive amount of environmental data – data that can be used by researchers to make a difference on a global scale! At Alvéole, we work with a team of research scientists to analyze the environmental DNA (eDNA) found in our clients’ honey. This provides key information about the quality and diversity of pollinator food resources in the environment. This data is confidentially shared with a global network of scientists to support research on pollinator health and protection.
