Animals and pets
Plan Bee
Green Ideas editorial team
Christchurch is buzzing at an idea for boosting bee numbers as the city rebuilds itself.
City councillor Aaron Keown’s idea, known as ‘Plan Bee’, will see beekeepers matched with a database of city residents who would like to host hives on their property.
Aaron came up with the idea after his bee-free fruit trees failed to pollinate. He says that the city needs around 1200 more hives.
Under the plan residents would put money into setting up the hives with the expectation of getting a sweet return on their investment. Each hive is expected to produce 15-20kg of honey in the first year and double that in the second.
There are also plans to set up a bee café where people could see honey extracted as they dined.