CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When it comes to bees, some people can't get past the sting. That's why a new partnership is finding a way to educate the community about the importance of the honeybee in the Carolinas.
Bee Downtown is an organization that installs and maintains beehives on corporate campuses. Ally Financial and Envision Charlotte recently unveiled their newest apiary, which is the spot where honeybees are kept. In this case, three hives are right outside the Innovation Barn on Seigle Avenue, not far from Uptown Charlotte.
Bees are important for a lot of reasons, according to Benjamin Dictus, Bee Downtown's chief culture officer. First, they are important for beautiful plants and flowers, many of which need bees for pollination. Our feed system and agricultural systems are tied to honeybees.
According to Leigh-Kathryn Bonner, every third bite of food we eat is thanks to a honeybee. She says that 70 of the top 100 food crops in the world are pollinated by bees.
The hive itself has a small footprint but it makes a huge impact. The area around these boxes will become richer and better for the environment.
All of this is an effort to show just how important the preservation of nature really is, and it's about much more than the bees themselves. It's about recognizing their role in maintaining the balance of our larger ecosystem.
Envision Charlotte is providing public tours of its Innovation Barn. Tours are currently offered on Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. and at 10:30 a.m. on Fridays. Other times can be reserved by groups for a fee. Click here for more information.
Contact Larry Sprinkle at lsprinkle@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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