Sustainable Cities and Biodiversity Protection—The Case of Pollinators: An Analysis of the Bee Density Index in Macroregions of Poland

Natalia Guz, Karolina Palimąka and Adam Masłoń ()
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Natalia Guz: Department of Law and Public Policy, University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Sucharskiego 2, 35-225 Rzeszów, Poland
Karolina Palimąka: Institute for Financial Research and Analysis, University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Sucharskiego 2, 35-225 Rzeszów, Poland
Adam Masłoń: Department of Environmental Engineering and Chemistry, Rzeszow University of Technology, Powstańców Warszawy 6 Av., 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-15

Abstract: There is a growing interest in protecting pollinators in cities as part of efforts to promote biodiversity and sustainable development. However, many initiatives setting up urban apiaries or CSR campaigns remain superficial and do not take into account the real needs of wild pollinators. The article examines whether various interventions like promoting the protection of bees (and other pollinators), rain gardens, and green roofs align (or do not align) with the biodiversity conservation objectives. A review of practices was conducted, identifying cases of beewashing and comparing the ecological effects of establishing apiaries with activities that promote wild pollinators. Particular attention was paid to the analysis of the bee density index, which was used to assess the relationship between the number of bee colonies and the availability of food resources and highlight the risk of overpopulation and its potential consequences. The results indicate the occurrence of overgrazing, which refers to an excessively high density of breeding bee apiaries in each studied NUTS 1 region, and their number has been steadily increasing over the analyzed period. An analysis of available strategic and planning documents of selected cities (particularly provincial capitals and Poland’s largest urban centers) reveals limited commitment to pollinator protection. Although the analysis was conducted for macroregions in Poland, this work also indicates how to properly design and communicate pollinator-friendly urban activities to truly support ecological resilience and sustainable urban development, not only in the case of Poland but also more broadly.

Keywords: sustainable urban development; biodiversity; beewashing; ecological resilience of cities; Apis mellifera (L.) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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