New red zone project creates a buzz

Christchurch’s residential red zone is being used as a breeding ground for New Zealand’s native bees.

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) has created a trial in the residential red zone after an extended search for appropriate and safe areas to place and grow beehives.

Bee populations are in decline world wide.

The first trial involves 10 beehives with around 600,000 bees at a Dallington location, but that number of locations can be increased in the future.

“This trial is another wonderful example of a transitional project to use the red zone effectively and created eco-friendly activities in this area until the final regeneration plan has been formed. The Government recently extended the amount of time red zone land can be used for community projects,” says Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Dr Megan Woods.

Christchurch beekeeper Simon Phillips, who manages the hives on behalf of LINZ, says that declining bee numbers are a worldwide problem.

“It is a constant battle, with new diseases appearing every month, so we constantly have to develop new treatments to deal with each new virus.”

“It is only a small first step, but with this trial LINZ wants to do its bit to protect and grow the local bee population,” says Jeremy Barr, General Manager of the Canterbury Recovery Group of LINZ, responsible for managing the red zone areas.

Mr Phillips has timed the introduction of bee hives with the end of the honey season, before splitting his strongest hives in two new hives.“We then introduce a new queen from our breeding programme and hope the new hive will grow to house around 60,000 bees each by next year.”

Mr Phillips says that the red zone is the ideal area to grow bees.

“Normally we would have the hives on farms or in open fields where there is not always much for them to feed on, but the red zone is full of fruit trees that will be able to sustain the bees.”