Edmonton International Airport hosting bees on grounds to promote biodiversity

A BeeHome installation at the Edmonton International Airport on June 17, 2024. (Marek Tkach/CTV News Edmonton)

Thousands of winged guests will be staying at the YEG's Airport City Sustainability Campus – all in the name of biodiversity.

Edmonton International Airport has partnered with Alvéole, an urban beekeeping organization, to house a honey bee hive and two BeeHomes for wild bees at the airport to raise awareness about biodiversity and sustainability.

Marion Chivot-Legris of the Edmonton International Airport told CTV News Edmonton that the bees provide insight about their impacts on the environment in the region while securing future food demands while supporting wild bees in the ecosystem.

"By sampling the honey will have a better understanding of what types of plants, fauna and flora in our ecosystem," Chivot-Legris said. "It gives us a better sense of what types of biodiversity we have in our surroundings."

"Bees are very important pollinators – they are responsible for a third of the food that we eat," Chivot-Legris added. "It's very important that we support that key component of food biosecurity."

According to Chivot-Legris, the plan is to keep the bees at the airport throughout the summer for the next three years where the honey will be sampled and researchers will "track the impact of information to share with the general public and their team members."