Name of case study
Bees Up Top
Location
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand
Year
2016
Scale
Suburb/neighbourhood scale
Area / size
N/a
NbS employed
Urban beehives
Type of NbS
Engineered intervention
Initiator
Jess & Luke from Bees Up Top
Funder
N/a
Budget
N/a
Design group
Bees Up Top
- Loss of food production
- Changes in phenology
- Food security
- Habitat provision
- Medicinal resources
- Food production for humans
- Genetic resources (diversity)
Summary of case study
Urbanisation has led to habitat loss, impacting pollinator decline (Geslin et al., 2013). The loss of natural habitats due to urban expansion modifies habitats, affecting bee populations (Geslin et al., 2013). Pollinators, vital for one-third of the world’s food supply, play a crucial role in the food chain (Armah, 2022).
Bees significantly contribute to biotic pollination, essential for food crop pollination and climate change adaptation (Marshman et al., 2019). They bolster food security amid changing habitat and seasonal conditions. Beehives enhance urban environments’ adaptability to urbanisation pressures by promoting food security and supporting flora and fauna health.
Bees Up Top, based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, collaborates with businesses and residential clients to establish beehives in urban areas, particularly on rooftops (Bees Up Top, 2019). They offer hive rental services, assisting with setup, maintenance, and honey harvesting. Their goal is to establish healthy beehives across urban areas in Aotearoa New Zealand (Whitfield & Whitfield, 2019).
Bees Up Top rescues bees, relocating them from exterminators to rooftops across the city. Urban areas provide a safe haven for bees, with reduced competition for food and absence of pesticide exposure. The company prioritises educating future generations about bee pollination through courses, fostering gardening initiatives in urban areas, benefiting local ecosystems and biodiversity health (Meurk et al., 2013). They reinvest 80% of honey sales proceeds into rescuing more bees, ensuring warm hives and disease treatment.
References
- Geslin, B., Gauzens, B., Thebault, E., & Dajoz, I. (2013). Plant pollinator networks along a gradient of urbanisation. PloS one, 8(5), e63421.
- Armah, M (2022). New Zealand bees may soon become endangered due to pest threat, expert warns. Stuff. Available online: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300494358/new-zealand-bees-may-soon-become-endangered-due-to-pest-threat-expert-warns. Date accessed 16 May, 2024.
- Whitfield, J & Whitifield, L (2019) Bees Up Top – Our Roots. Available online: https://www.beesuptop.co.nz/our-roots. Date accessed 16 May, 2024.
- Marshman, J., Blay-Palmer, A., & Landman, K. (2019). Anthropocene crisis: climate change, pollinators, and food security. Environments, 6(2), 22.
