Urban Apiculture: Keeping it Local

ARTICLE:  “Beekeeping creates buzz in Milwaukee:  Ordinances lets urban hives produce honey, pollination.”  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel  [Milwaukee] 16 July 2011, B1+.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/125673818.html

BLOG: "Join the hunt for bees"

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/125380743.html   

TAKE HOME MESSAGE:  Stories that involve opportunities for citizens to engage with science are great ways to expand public interest in science.

INTERVIEWS: 

Study Investigator

1)   Can people in Wisconsin still get involved in the nationwide bee count?  

2)   Can Lemon Queen sunflowers be readily obtained from home and garden stores?  How are these plants best planted and maintained?

3)   Can folks also use the other plant species mentioned in the press release to count bees (bee balm, cosmos, rosemary, tickseed, purple coneflower)?

4)   What would scientists say is the greatest implication of colony collapse disorder?  I’m looking for some statistics that would help people understand how critical bees are to the health of the planet.

Urban Beekeeper

1)  Were you part of the effort to get the bee ordinance passed?

2)  What motivates you to be involved with beekeeping?

3)  What is the greatest obstacle to urban beekeeping?

4)  Are there safety issues involved in this pursuit?

5)  What would you want to say to city residents who may be a little leary about urban beekeeping?

Apiculturist

1)  Since the bee keeping ordinance was passed last year, there has been eight licenses either issued or in progress.  Are you involved in educating people who are applying for their licenses?

2)  What does this involve?

3)  What is your greatest challenge in teaching people to keep bees?

4)  Was there any difficulty in convincing the city counsel to pass this ordinance?

5)  The licenses were issued all over Milwaukee, with no particular section of the city represented.  Can you think of someone in Milwaukee who might like to talk about their experiences with urban bee keeping?