Atlanta Beltline and Repairing the Ecology in the Inner City

Atlantans know all about the Atlanta Beltline.  Anyone else interested can Google  for more information.

Very recently we were given…or actually Adair Park, a historical area was given an installation of tires-as-art.

What sometimes looks good on paper is an abomination in reality. This is an example of such a thing.  At least to those who live there or see it as they travel outside their neighborhood.

Of course this  opinion is driven by the reality that we live around dumped tires….bastards coming from other areas (not to excuse the local dumpers)  dump tires and other garbage on our ‘hidden’ streets…and those not so hidden.  So when an installation (the pix are here on the blog, and they are too grim to repost) of tires is put up…it grates on nerves and other parts of residents.

I won’t go into the politics of what happened here, but so many of the art installations were a ‘go’ from the Beltline.  This wasn’t.

However, in talking with residents of Adair Park today, we threw around the idea of repairing the ecology in some way…perhaps addressing the ecology of this borderline industrial area.

Beehives.

The site is perfect for this…out of the way of people, houses…and there is an important reason behind this proposal.

According to documents, 80% of our pollenators have died off mostly due to the beemite virus.  Scientists who write about these things are predicting in a few years we could see world-wide famine because of this.  Google Spain’s present issues and you will see some of the problems.

But it’s not just Spain.  It’s very much here.

I have a small orchard on my city lot.  Had 12 fruit trees, now reduced to 6.  For the past 4 years, regardless of fertilization, they haven’t been doing well.  No fruit…or little fruit.

That’s because there are no bees.  Honey bees used to be plentiful, but now?  You rarely see one.

I think this large area owned by the Beltline would do well with a row of beehives….plants planted in large containers….Hey! they could use some of their precious tires!!! and a bench away from the hives…could be a great educational tool for the local children.

I was stung yesterday by a wasp, and believe me….it wouldn’t take much to make children respectful of bees.

Plus, they make honey. And the kudzu fields around there and the track side plants, Queen Anne’s Lace, Scottish Thistles and many wild flowers would suppliment any planted flowers.

We have the East Point Beekeepers Association close to Atlanta who are friendly, informative and helpful.  Perhaps they could guide the Beltline folk in this venture.  Perhaps our local carpenters can build the hives.

I think also that many of us gardeners could volunteer plants.

It’s a thought, and a better one than the God-Awful dirty tires.

But it’s an ecological statement and perhaps its time has come for this industrial part of Atlanta.

I emailed the Director of Design (Art stuff) Fred Yolaris of the Beltline with this proposal we neighbors talked about this morning.

It’s sure a better idea than what historic Adair Park was given, and it would involve the communities in the proposal.

But we will see.  It really depends on how much the Beltline wants to listen to the possibilites here.

Lady Nyo

Tags: Atlanta Beltline, Beehives, Bees as Art, Director of Design, East Point Beekeepers Assoc., Ecology, Fred Yoularis, Repairing the Ecology of the Inner City