• Editor’s Note: All photos are courtesy of Heritage Prairie Market.

There’s a little bit of buzz going on about the science and hobby of beekeeping here in Kane County.

County officials recognize the importance of a healthy and robust honey bee population as the county experiences growth in the popularity of beekeeping in residential and urban settings. In response to this interest, the Kane County Planning Cooperative is hosting a town hall meeting on Thursday, Feb. 11, to look at possible adoption of local ordinances regarding beekeeping and to discuss how beekeepers and local government can work together to develop and sustain the bee population.

Who should attend? Experienced beekeepers, beekeeping organizations and those who manage locations that need bees as well a municipal officials and planners interested in reasonable beekeeping regulations that support the bee population while protecting residential neighborhoods.

The intent of the meeting is to gather input from individuals experienced in beekeeping or who need bees at their location — and NOT an educational forum for the hobbyist or those who have an interest in beekeeping. That said, here are some very cool links and resources for individuals who are interested in learning about beekeeping:

• Fox Valley Beekeepers
• Northern Illinois Beekeepers Association
• Illinois Department of Agriculture: “Bees and Apiaries”
• Bee Culture: The Magazine of American Beekeeping

Want to know a few additional fun facts about honey bees?

• The honey bee is responsible for the pollination of more than 90 different fruit and vegetable crops in our world. Bees pollinate approximately $10 billion worth of crops in the U.S. each year.
• The honey bee is the only insect that produces food eaten by man.
• Honey is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life, including enzymes, vitamins, minerals and water; and it’s the only food that contains pinocembrin, an antioxidant associated with improved brain functioning.

We also know that bee populations have been reduced in recent years. Although the causes for this are still being researched and no single factor has been identified, scientists are working hard to identify the cause or causes.

For additional information, please contact Karen Ann Miller at millerkaren@co.kane.il.us or 630-232-3418.

About the Kane County Planning Cooperative

The Kane County Planning Cooperative is an integrated effort between Kane County’s Health Department, Transportation Department and Development Department planning staff to implement the County’s array of long range plans including the 2012-2016 Community Health Improvement Plan, the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan and the 2040 Plan. In addition to the planning being done on the county level, the cooperative is a valuable resource for all of the county’s 30 municipalities. One of the cooperative’s fundamental goals is to help municipalities “fill in the gaps” in local planning resources by providing technical assistance. For more information visit the Kane County Planning Cooperative page on the county’s website.