In November 2008, the Denver City Council adopted an ordinance allowing backyard beekeeping in Denver. DUG strongly supports this policy and believes community gardens will be excellent locations for hives. We expect that urban beekeeping will increase the number of beneficial pollinators in our gardens and provide more local whole food for Denver residents. Honeybees, on which we rely for the pollination of a large proportion of our food, are dying in large numbers due to “colony collapse disorder” (CCD). The causes of CCD are not fully understood, but it may be the result of a “perfect storm” of stresses on the honeybee, including mites and parasites, pesticides that interfere with the bees’ navigation skills, and the unnatural conditions in which many commercial hives are kept. Small-scale urban beekeeping allows bees to live in more natural conditions, so each new hive will help to protect this vital part of our ecosystem. Just as each community garden makes a small but significant contribution to the health, diversity, and sustainability of our food system, keeping a beehive is a way for a small group of people to make a difference on a big environmental issue.
Beekeeping in Denver Urban Gardens Community Gardens
