The City of Boston is a healthy, happy place for bees, thanks to creative initiatives by conservationists and nature lovers alike. There are a few reasons Boston is a haven for bees: • 217 city parks over 2,300 acres throughout Boston • Over 35,000 trees line the streets • The "home hives" trend (thanks pandemic) • Hundreds of residential and commercial properties willing to host a hive Boston leads the way in building a sustainable home for bees, and other cities are doing the same. Urban hives are popping up in Los Angeles, Seattle, New York City, Washington D.C., and even London and Paris. Luxury hotels and landmarks also shine a spotlight on urban beekeeping, from Buckingham Palace to Taipei City. That said, two Boston-based beekeeping initiatives are worth mentioning: 1. Best Bees This professional hive management company kicked off operations in 2010. Best Bees has a solid team of certified beekeepers across Massachusetts that installs and maintains hives on private and commercial properties. Best Bees also offers beekeeping courses for individuals, schools, and gardening clubs to build sustainable hives. All the data from Best Bees hives is accessible to research teams from National Geographic, Harvard, MIT, and NASA to drive pollinator programs worldwide. Notably, Best Bees partnered with Boston Properties in 2013 to build beehives on four prominent rooftop locations: Prudential Center, Kendall Center, 100 Federal Street, and Atlantic Wharf. Other than offering Bees an open space to thrive, Boston Properties hives produce over 100 liquid pounds of honey every year. Best Bees also installed hives on the luxury Taj Boston Hotel in 2013. The bees on the Taj pollinate the flowers from the herb and vegetable rooftop garden and the Boston Public Garden across the street. NOTE: The hotel's menu includes offerings made with honey from their rooftop hives. 2. Boston Area Beekeepers Association Formerly known as the Boston Beekeepers Club, BABA began in 2011 to bring beekeepers and enthusiasts together from Suffolk County and Metro Boston. Thousands of Boston residents engage with BABA every year. The Association holds regular meetings, annual Bee School courses, and many more events for bee lovers in the area. A local favorite is the Tour de Hives, a bike tour that takes visitors to the beehives across Boston and to hives hosted in community gardens, farms, and schools. The ride ends with a picnic lunch at the Boston Nature Center. This year’s ride is in early June.
Whether you're buying or selling a home, need guidance on mortgage options or would like to discuss the real estate market in your area, I would love to hear from you.