Beekeeping: The Next Urban Adventure

Beekeeping: The Next Urban Adventure

3.16.10 - Beekeeping Law Passed for NYC


This week, the sweet victory over the Board of Health was announced. Article 161, which previously deemed beekeeping illegal, was lifted - relieving quite a number of outlaw honeybee hobbyists. Until Tuesday, when the ban was removed, in a unanimous vote, New York City remained one of the few cities that banned beekeeping.

Importance of the legalization is expressed widely by urban beekeepers, honey enthusiasts, gardners, farmers, food & community advocacy groups like JustFood.org. Before this week, some renegades were keeping bees stowed away behind trapdoors, under trees and other hiding spots on various urban rooftops.

The campaign to overturn the policy has more than just preservation of the urban agri-hobby in mind. The honeybees in only one colony can produce up to 100 pounds of honey per year. Replacing the pollination work has been a growing concern as the bee population steadily decreased over the past few years. There simply is no replacement for their pollination; making safe & supportive hive conditions essential for thriving/healthy produce & for the city gardens/local farms who grow it.



"New York City is among the few jurisdictions in the country that deemed beekeeping illegal, lumping the honeybee together with hyenas, tarantulas, cobras, zebras, dingoes and other animals considered too dangerous or venomous for city life." (NY Times Interview, March 15, 2010)

Clearly, honeybees hyenas and dingoes are a huge concern for all urban dwellers. I often do a quick left-right vision check before heading down the block. After the outrageous number of wild hyena attacks in SoHo last year, you better believe I am not taking any risks in 2010.





Special thanks, once again, to all the Manhattan "wildlife" that has been at the center of recent news, sightings and early morning wake-up calls. Here's to peace for pollentation 2010!


Cheers, pollyanna.