Second Nature.Bricks and Nectar: Urban beekeeping in London.

“Second Nature. Urban Agriculture: Designing productive Cities” won the President’s prize 2015 at the RIBA awards for publications. 

Chapter title: Bricks and nectar: Urban beekeeping with specific reference to urban agriculture in London. Published in ANDRE, V. & Bohn, K. (eds.) “Second Nature. Urban Agriculture: Designing productive Cities” 2014 Routledge

This book chapter explores urban beekeeping in London as an example of UA.     Introduction “Insofar as bee-dependent plants touch human life,” write Delaplane and Mayer, “whether providing us with a bountiful food supply or a pleasant walk through city park, humans are dependent on bees” (Delaplane and Mayer, 2000). However, how dependent UA is on urban beekeeping is little understood or discussed. Urban beekeeping is largely a cultural practice with its own short history, little engaged with the broader discussion on UA despite its importance. Researching this subject is challenging because we currently have limited knowledge about it; on its direct harvests such as honey, its potential contribution to urban pollination, and the overall density of urban Bees. Therefore, this chapter should be read as a scoping report that reviews and discusses the disparate data and research on the phenomena with specific reference to London. Such a discussion will help extend an understanding of the cultural practice and how this might contribute to our concepts of UA, and we can begin to map out the benefits, constraints, and gaps in knowledge for future development.