STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. –– Tucked in the corner of an urban oasis in Stapleton, there is an outdoor classroom and home to one of the most important organisms in our ecosystem.
Bee University (Bee-U) is a free beekeeping educational program that launched this Spring. Currently, Bee-U has three beehives with a total of approximately 30,000 located in Maker Park.
The group meets twice a week with virtual lectures about apiology on Tuesdays and gathering on site on Saturdays to visit and help with maintenance of the beehives. At this time, there are 10 students in the BU program, ranging from young teenagers to adults in their sixties, including three families.
For many of the students, this is a completely new experience. Dressed in full beekeeping suits, students are able to observe the bees up close.