Last updated: October 2021
Newcastle City Council’s Bee Strategy has been created to promote the importance of bees. The bee populations had been declining for some time (in the UK) due to various factors including loss of habitat, disease and use of pesticides. Newcastle City Council is working with schools, universities, allotment holders, beekeepers to increase the habitat of bees and to raise awareness of their important work in pollination (1, 2, 5)
Urban Beekeeping
Russell Nelson, retrieved 08/15/2018
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
- Other
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity
Project objectives
The aims and objectives of Newcastle’s Bee Strategy are:
- to raise awareness amongst the community and to show the benefits of bees
- to adapt to the local environment to provide the right conditions for all kinds of bees to increase.(2)
78 hectares of allotment land in Newcastle can become an important reservoir of essential forage for honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees. Newcastle Allotment Working Group, in conjunction with the Bee Strategy, will encourage beekeeping on its allotment sites; will promote education about the importance of bees, their decline, and how plots may be improved as a source of year-round forage for bees" (Ref 5)
Implementation activities
Measures include:
- Creation of the Newcastle's bees programme and the bee strategy (2)
- Plantation of more bee-friendly plants in municipal flower beds (2)
- Reduction of the use of residual herbicide in footpaths (2)
- Designation of selected allotments as 'bee gardens' (3)
- Changing the terms of reference on allotments to allow bee hives (2)
- Working with a city farm to establish a central venue for beekeeper training (2)
- Providing 20 bumble bee homes for sites across the city (2)
- Working with the Northumberland Wildlife Trust and local beekeepers to get bee material and hives into schools (2)
- Installation of two council-sponsored hives
- Distribution of “Love our bees!” leaflets and posters in municipal buildings with tips for how residents can help bees. (2, 3)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Taskforce groups
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Other
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Bee Strategy was created and connected measures carried out by or with the contribution of Newcastle City Council. Measures are being taken by allotment holders, beekeepers, council workers, university researchers. Furthermore, the city works with schools measures aimed at raising awareness around bees), Newcastle City Council also works with Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Newcastle & District beekeeping Association and local beekeepers. (1, 2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
(Although NCC notes that "there are over 200 species of bees in the UK, but bee populations have been declining in the last few years due to various factors including loss of habitat, disease and use of pesticides”, and “Newcastle City Council’s Bee Strategy has been created to promote the importance of bees”. (Ref. 2) )
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Not applicable
Source(s) of funding
- Other
Type of funding
- Other
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Enhanced support of pollination
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
References
1. Urban Bees Blog. (2010). Bees in Newcastle. Accessed on October 26, 2020, Source link
2. Newcastle City Council. (n.d.). Wildlife and Biodiversity. Bee strategy. Website not available
3. The Guardian. (2010). Bees help keep Newcastle at top of green city table. Wainwright, M. Oct. 2010. Accessed on October 26, 2020, Source link
4. Newcastle City Council. (n.d.). Bee Keeper Letter. Policy Resources. Website not available
5. Newcastle City Council. (n.d.). The Newcastle Allotment Strategy 2010-2015. Allotments Working Group. Website not available
6. Newcastle and District Beekeepers Association. (n.d.). Home. Accessed on October 26, 2020, Source link
7. St John The Babtist (n.d.) Geordie Bees. Newcastle upon Tyne. Website not available
8. Living North (2014) Geordie Bees. Accessed on October 26, 2020, Source link
2. Newcastle City Council. (n.d.). Wildlife and Biodiversity. Bee strategy. Website not available
3. The Guardian. (2010). Bees help keep Newcastle at top of green city table. Wainwright, M. Oct. 2010. Accessed on October 26, 2020, Source link
4. Newcastle City Council. (n.d.). Bee Keeper Letter. Policy Resources. Website not available
5. Newcastle City Council. (n.d.). The Newcastle Allotment Strategy 2010-2015. Allotments Working Group. Website not available
6. Newcastle and District Beekeepers Association. (n.d.). Home. Accessed on October 26, 2020, Source link
7. St John The Babtist (n.d.) Geordie Bees. Newcastle upon Tyne. Website not available
8. Living North (2014) Geordie Bees. Accessed on October 26, 2020, Source link
Urban Beekeeping
Russell Nelson, retrieved 08/15/2018
Urban Beekeeping
Russell Nelson, retrieved 08/15/2018