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Menlo Park, California is an affluent city locat-
ed on the peninsula between the San Francisco Bay
and the Pacific Ocean. The Menlo Park Department
of Public Works is responsible for the maintenance of
approximately 22,000 trees. The community's canopy
is composed of about 20% native oak species and is
highly diverse in age.
Bees and other pollinators are an integral component
of the health of Menlo Park's urban forest. The Menlo
Park City Arborist receives several calls each year to
deal with bee-related issues. In 2013, the Department
of Public Works made an operational shift to protect
honey bees. To do this, staff completed a beekeeping
class and formed relationships with local members of
the San Mateo Beekeepers' Guild.
In the spring of 2013, the City received ten phone calls
regarding bee swarms. Swarming is when a new honey-
bee colony is formed when the queen bee leaves the
colony, taking about half of the bees with her. As the
swarm relocates, they often rest on street trees, parked
cars, or street signs. Staff responded to each location
with the proper beekeeping equipment to safely capture
and relocate the swarm to their new hives at the City's
apiary, located at the public works corporation yard.
The apiary is composed of three to five active hives
maintained by City staff. The apiary is a protected envi-
ronment where bees continue to provide community
benefits without the hazard of poorly located hives in
public space. Along with the apiary, there are also natu-
ral hives located in trees at City parks. All of these hives
have been identified and are located high enough off
the ground to avoid interaction with park users. Special
care is taken when performing tree maintenance near
these hives to ensure the bees are not disturbed or
displaced.
To raise awareness about this new program and edu-
cate residents about the importance of pollinators,
Mayor Peter Ohtaki declared August 17, 2013 the Day
of the Honey Bee. In honor of the day, a presentation
was given by City staff and a member of the San Mateo
Beekeepers in Menlo Park perform regular hive inspections to ensure a healthy bee colony. Photo by Brian Henry
