(WXYZ) — There's a growing buzz around the Motor City that Detroit is the place to be, and thanks to an expanding organization, it's also a bee city.
Detroit Hives, which was co-founded by Tim Paule, manages over 50 bee hives in Detroit. The main goal is "create sustainable communities and bee populations by transforming vacant lots into pollinator friendly spaces," according to the website.
According to Paule, Michigan is home to to over 460 native bees, including bumblebees, sweat bees, lead killer bees, mason bees, orchard bees, minor bees and more.
"By introducing pollinators or native bees into our environment, we're guaranteed to create educational opportunities. We're guaranteed to to address food insecurity, and we're also guaranteed to see more beautified spaces," Paule said.
The organization started by utilizing vacant lots, but now, it's much more. The organization works to educate kids on the importance of conservation, they work with local businesses and even sell local raw honey.
"It's great economic mobility right here in Detroit," Paule said.
Funding for the nonprofit comes through scholarships, grants and donations. They've also taken to social media for help. They use Instagram for outreach, Facebook to connect with vendors, and both to sell products and fundraise.
The efforts are leading to Detroit often being called Bee City. Keeping the hives healthy is a full-time job.
The next chapter for Detroit Hives is continuing education on the importance of bees and growing the buzz.
"This year we are poised to begin on very newest project, which is the state fair Hoover Poverty Parkway, where we're transforming a vacant commercial parking lot to serve as a centralized hub to benefit both people and pollinators within the Osborne community," Paule said.
