Hurlyvale Park bees rescued in community-led conservation effort
When a bees’ tree habitat in the Hurlyvale Park fell, resident Noel Brownlee acted swiftly and arranged for a beekeeper to relocate the estimated 80 000 bees.
About 80 000 bees were safely relocated from Hurlyvale Park, thanks to the efforts of community member Noel Brownlee. Brownlee shared the story with The News at the Hebra Homemade Harvest – Christmas in the Park Market on December 6, explaining that the bees had occupied three trees on the east side of the park.
“I was concerned about the community, so I called a beekeeper. I felt like we were going to get stung by these bees; there were so many of them,” Brownlee said.
The beekeeper explained that because it was a public park, the bees couldn’t be placed in hives there, as people could get stung.
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Brownlee paid the beekeeper to safely remove the estimated 80 000 bees and relocate them to a farm where they could be housed. “Then he harvested all the honey, which I told him was our community’s.
“I paid him for the honey, repacked it into little gift bottles. We didn’t make a profit, but we had a lot of fun,” he said.
Brownlee believes the trees collapsed due to the combined weight of the bees and honey. “The trees were hollow where the bees were, and flooding from heavy rains at the base caused the whole tree to collapse,” he explained.
He also described the careful removal process. The beekeeper uses a bee vacuum, connected to a large box, to safely vacuum the bees without harming them.
Brownlee acknowledged the community members who help maintain Hurlyvale Park, including those who contribute funds and children who ride along on the mower. “It is a massive community story with lots of people involved,” he said.
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He highlighted the importance of outdoor spaces for children. “The space that you occupy has a massive impact on you, especially when you’re young.
“Children want to run outside, play, fall, raise leaves, and have fun. This is what we want to do: get people out into the sun and meet others around them,” he added.
Brownlee also noted ongoing efforts to improve the park, including cleaning up the river, planting along the banks, and creating flower beds.
