Urban bee farms of Detroit are not only rebuilding honey bee populations, they are also rebuilding the city and uplifting the community. Since 1950, 61% of Detroit’s population has moved away in hopes for better opportunities. Whole neighborhoods in the inner-city have been abandoned, leaving overgrown lots and social issues for those who chose to stay.

Urban beekeeping happens to be one of the solutions forging a new path in Detroit. Nicole Lindsey and Timothy Paule Jackson of Detroit Hives [https://detroithives.org/] are generating a lot of buzz by activating vacant lots in the inner city and turning those spaces into urban bee farms. And doing so in a way that uplifts long-term residents and doesn’t lend to furthering gentrification.

Through their conservation and awareness efforts, educational programs, and health based initiatives, Detroit Hives is creating a safe home for bees and the community to live, feed, and thrive.

Timothy Paule Jackson and Nicole Lindsey are both lifetime Detroiters. Their non-profit organization Detroit Hives works to create sustainable communities and bee populations by transforming vacant lots into pollinator friendly spaces. Nicole is devoted to altering negative stigmas about bees by informing people of their crucial roles and benefits to the environment. She also teaches children about apiology. Timothy, comes from a background of photography and advertising. He is focused on making Detroit a bee city by repurposing vacant land into pollinator habitats. The overarching goal is to improve the quality of life not only for native plants and insects, but for the surrounding community.

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Executive Producer: Jack EidtHost and Producer: Jessica AldridgeEngineer: Blake LampkinShow Created by Mark and JP MorrisMusic: Javier KadryEpisode 102Image: Detroit Hives