Oslo’s abuzz: Norwegian city creates hive network to protect endangered bees

From flower-emblazoned cemeteries to rooftop gardens and balconies, Norway’s capital Oslo is creating a “bee highway” to protect endangered pollinators essential to food production. The “bee highway” aims to give the insects a safe passage through the city, lined with relays providing food and shelter — the first such system in the world, according to the organisers. Government bodies, companies, associations and private individuals have created floral feeding stations across the city. One accounting firm in an ultra modern office covered parts of its terrace in brightly flowering Sedum plants and two bee hives that house some 45,000 worker bees.

We are constantly reshaping our environment to meet our needs, forgetting that other species also live in it.

Agnes Lyche Melvaer, head of the Bybi, an environmental group supporting urban bees

Although Norwegian bees may not be as seriously threatened by intensive agriculture and pesticides as bees in the U.S. or other European countries, a third of the country’s 200 wild bee species are nonetheless considered endangered. And that is cause for concern for humans since 30 to 40 percent of food production requires pollination, a service provided for free by the insects which according to a 2005 Franco-German study is worth an estimated 153 billion euros.

One should see it as a sign that companies are also taking responsibility for preserving biodiversity.

Bee-keeping enthusiast Marie Skjelbred

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