Building a Greener Community
Becoming a Bee Friendly Community
Flossmoor - A Bee Friendly Community!
Flossmoor Illinois is a great place to bee! In February of 2020 Flossmoor made a change to allow beekeeping in the village through strong citizen action by the community. This site represents the effort to make that change and will be kept up for reference. See the links below if you're excited to get started with beekeeping in the village.
Why Bees? Why Now?
It has been hard to miss the news about the dire state of bees; colonies have seen huge threats over the past decade, and as recent as 2015, over 60% of colonies in Illinois alone have died. Many fear for the future of bees and their immense positive impact on the world around us. Suburban and urban beekeeping has grown from this concern as people look to support these animals under threat, reconnect with nature, and participate in a history and partnership spanning over 5,000 years.
Supporting the Mission
Our Goals:
Provide insight to Flossmoor town leadership on the why of beekeeping.
Engage community on how beekeeping benefits Flossmoor as a town and promotes the “Welcoming. Beautiful. Connected.” motto.
Recommend sensible regulatory updates.
Welcoming
Beekeeping has been embraced by people of all walks of life, but especially young people looking to impact the natural world. The British Beekeepers Association showed a tripling of members in the past ten years. Detroit has looked to improve community engagement by supporting hives throughout the city. Milwaukee updated its beekeeping regulations and has seen “bees and butterflies have come back en masse.” Modern ordinances that support sustainable beekeeping practices in urban areas expand the appeal of said areas and better welcome people looking to make a positive impact in their community.
Beautiful
Any tour of a Flossmoor park or well-managed garden shows the beauty of the town. Much of this beauty is facilitated by bees as they carry about their day pollinating the green spaces around us. This critical function ensures the ongoing bloom of the town and promotes some of the fantastic gardens that make Flossmoor the green community it is today and promotes a green future.
In addition to creating beautiful gardens, many beekeepers have found just as much delight in creating unique hives for their bees that reflect their personalities as well as the personality of the town. Well-managed hives that adhere to the standards outlined by the Illinois Department of Agriculture further support the beautiful mantra when owners customize and create statement pieces to compliment their gardens or yards. It's not uncommon to see gabled roofs, brick-style facades, or beautiful woodworking made to look like other famous structures to 'show off' the bees' home.
Connected
Beekeeping in Flossmoor offers additional opportunity for partnership and community with like-minded individuals, both those who already work to support the beautification of their neighborhood (like the NCJW Southland Garden Walk) and those looking to get involved. Beekeeping grows local bonds and creates positive interactions between residents with a hobby steeped in mentorship and connection. Additionally, children, students, and gardeners interested in environmental stewardship and agriculture would strongly benefit from a local option to engage their curiosity and grow their perspective of the world around them.
Moving Flossmoor Forward
We recommend Flossmoor adopt the recent change to the Will County ordinance for keeping bees and apiaries. This ordinance (found here) has already been updated to apply to Flossmoor's municipal code and leverages best-practices for beekeeping, including registration with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, limits on size, number, and placement of hives, and requirements for general maintenance to bee kind in Flossmoor.
Getting Involved
We'd love your help! Please sign up below and let us know that you support a sustainable, green Flossmoor! If you're looking to do more, just let us know!