The Seaport Hotel Is Trying to Save the Bees

Harvesting honey./Photo provided

There’s a lot of buzz around the Seaport Hotel.

On Wednesday, the hotel planted a new rooftop garden, where it will grow tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and gourds. But this project isn’t just about harvesting fresh produce: It’s an effort to aid the ever-dwindling bee population.

In fall 2006, according to the USDA, some beekeepers began noticing that their hives had significantly lower levels of healthy bees; for some, between 30 and 90 percent of their populations perished. The significant reduction was attributed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). While signs of CCD have faded somewhat since 2006, as recently as May 2015, bee population counts were still plummeting—posing a serious risk to the country’s agricultural production.

The Seaport Hotel decided to tackle that problem at the micro level, catering to the nearly one million bees that reside on its rooftop. “We are fortunate to be surrounded by two acres of green space, so our bees have always had plenty of plants and flowers to pollinate,” says Jim Carmody, the hotel’s vice president and general manager. “We believe the bees will enjoy having new plants to pollinate, and so close to home.”

Hotel guests and staff will also benefit, as the produce grown and honey harvested will be used in the hotel’s bar and restaurant.