Photo: The Langham, Boston
BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - The third floor roof at The Langham, Boston is a buzz, after the hotel installed two beehives in an effort to boost the local bee population. What's more the honey harvested from the hives will be used in special menu items in both the Langham's restaurants, Grana and The Fed.
The hives were made possible through a partnership with The Best Bee Company, the first beekeeping service provider in the country. The duo of hives are home to Apis mellifera ligustica bees, a species of honey boos that are described as "docile."
“We chose to partner with Best Bees because of their network of hive owners and research organization, and their mission to improve pollinator health, expand the bee population and support climate research,” said Michele Grosso, Managing Director of The Langham, Boston. “We also look forward to introducing our own honey on our menus for our guests to experience and enjoy.”
The hives are more important than ever as the planet sees a period of biodiversity decline. In the last several years, there has been a focus on protecting pollinators, such as bees, who are seeing rapid declines in population. The small insect plays a massive role in our planets ecosystem, providing a support system for plant reproduction and contributing to global food security.
Earlier this year, the Massachusetts Department of Conversation and Recreation (DCR) held it's annual "Growing Wild Massachusetts" program, encouraging the public to promote and preserve pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. Through the initiative, residents were able to pick up free wildflower growing start kits at a number of nurseries across the state.
"Saving bees and other pollinators from the risks they face is an important part of a sustainable future because they are critical to agriculture and food production – contributing to the national economy by more than $20 billion a year." The Langham said.
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