Those well intentioned urban beekeepers trying to prevent colony collapse and contribute to local food movements may actually be doing more harm than good say researchers from the University of Sussex.
"Two British scientists are dumping cold water on campaigns to promote urban beekeeping," writes Dan Charles. "They say that trying to 'help the bees' by setting out more hives is naive and misguided if the bees can't find enough flowers nearby to feed on. You'll just end up with sick and starving bees."
"According to [Francis] Ratnieks and [Karin] Alton, there now are too many bees in London, chasing too few flowers. The scientists are urging well-meaning bee defenders to change their focus: 'To have bees you don't need a bee hive,' they write in The Biologist. 'Just plant bee-friendly flowers such as marjoram ... and lavender in your garden.'"
FULL STORY: Why Urban Beekeeping Can Be Bad For Bees
Urban Farming Program Struggles to Sprout
Los Angeles created a tax incentive to promote urban farms on the thousands of vacant lots around the city. So far, the incentive has been given out only four times.
Vertical Farms, Fad or Feast?
Hydroponic indoor farmers hope to charge a premium for plants grown out of season in indoor farms. The notion has generated attention from big investors, but whether or not consumers will follow is an open question.
Tax Credits to Encourage Urban Agriculture
Montgomery County, Maryland is the latest municipality to approve an agricultural tax credit to to create incentives for agricultural uses in urban areas.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)