HoneyLovers Bringing Bees and education to LA Parks

[helen faraday young]

AS YOU KNOW -HONEY BEES & POLLINATORS ARE IN DECLINE
….AND …………………..WE CAN HELP!
I’d love to hear your ideas on the following:
We would like to propose establishing an observational beehive enclosure within parks, in and around Los Angeles County
(Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Eagle Rock and Pasadena and aiming for downtown LA and Griffith Park too)
Once we know we have a community of support, we will apply for grants, set up a fund for donations and begin the process of permission let the ideas evolve.
The Beehive enclosure helps to minimize disturbance to the bees.It heightens the flight path of the bees (to minimize human/bee interaction) & it will protect curious children from getting too close to the hives. West Seattle made a beautiful one.
(https://www.google.com/search?q=west+seattle+bee+apiary+park&biw=1223&bih=658&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiAqt-etNbPAhWMdD4KHbfrD2AQ_AUICCgD#imgrc=a18XR9atZFvP7M%3A)
The enclosure would be at least eight feet tall and would completely surround the hives – but would have wire mesh panels, allowing us to easily see the hives (and demonstrate how to work with the bees and the inner life of the hive)
We will provide year round flowering trees, shrubs and flowers and a water source.
WHY? This is a great opportunity to raise awareness that:
– Bees are in trouble, we need them and they need our help
– Pollination – LOS ANGELES has beautiful plants and crops – let’s keep them happy and pollinated!
– This could be a great education and community building buzz

OTHER IDEAS AND PLANS
– Surround beehive enclosure with educational info.
– Provide take home information at the sites.
– Contact Los Angeles Schools and colleges to see if they would be interested in incorporating bees into their curriculum and/or a field trip to visit the hives.
– In areas where flying bees are not practical, we can place video monitors showing the hive activity. Especially appropriate for LA downtown and as art projects
– Take home information on how to help bees, will be available at the site
– Hold Classes at the site about bees and bee friendly gardening
– A party for the grand opening!
– Website LA Bees and YouTube video, where our bee’s activity can be found and we film hive inspections and post updates on new projects.
TIMELINE:
October 2016 to Feb 2017. Apply for grants and fund raise.
Spring 2017 – build beehive enclosure, garden and establish beehives
BUDGET:
Fencing for. 24’ x 24’ Bee garden. picket untreated redwood & gate incl 20 posts= $800. We will apply to Lowes and Home depot for community grants on these items too
Paint. Dunn & Edwards- possible help here?
Plants, seeds and soil amendment –donations?
Water source. TBD
Signage & leaflets TBD
WHAT WE NEED HELP WITH:
– Experience and support – if you’re interested in any areas of this idea, please contact me.
– Ideas on moving this project forward.
– Volunteers will be needed in spring, to help with the building of the structure and making the garden and erecting the fence.
– Volunteer beekeepers for hive inspections.
– Volunteer gardeners needed
– Donation of hive boxes. Ample credit opportunities available.(BeeThinking have shown interest)

CONTACT: Please tell me your thoughts & ideas
helenfaradayyoung@gmail.com 917 679 0567 cell
member of HoneyLove and LACBA.

[susan rudnicki]

HI, Helen—this is a wonderful idea. There have been efforts to site bees in Griffith Park in similar manner but were shot down due to “legal considerations” So, reading this list of proposed needs, I am struck by the missing aspect of legal liability coverage. This will be a important consideration in moving the project to realization. Also, the expertise, training and dedication to inspections and monitoring and maintaining records for the bee hives at each site can not be underestimated. The procurement of the founding bee colonies would need to come from sources of experience in judging suitable temperament for a public setting. In my opinion, the project would benefit from using feral, re-homed honey bees to emphasize the need to protect bees from extermination and to highlight the continuity of survivor genetics, not buying bees from breeders that must be treated with acaricides. You may want to reach out to our member, Ray Teurman, ray teurman@me.com since he was involved in building and maintaining a enclosure in LA that sounds similar to your proposal. So, those are my observations! Susan

[helen faraday young]

Thanks Susan for your support and ideas.
It’s vital that the hives are adequately protected and that curious children and visitors are too. Your expertise and knowledge is invaluable.
I can’t imagine anything more detrimental to beekeepers and bee image than a bee mishap in a public space!
The design of the West Seattle apiary has been really successful. I’m hoping they’ll share their plans which we can adapt for our hotter climate.

HoneyLove members, please volunteer and suggest your ideas to promote education about bees in public areas.

Come on HoneyLovers and bee supporters- we’d love to hear from you.
Contact Helen 917 679 0567 and helenfaradayyoung@gmail.com\

[susan rudnicki]

Please contact Ray Teurman, email noted on the earlier post. He worked with a group that designed and installed a hive surround such as what you are proposing.

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