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59Â Â This synthesis describes the pollinator-friendly programs established by airports, consider- ations for establishing and maintaining these programs, and lessons learned by DOTs. There are a variety of possibilities for pollinator-friendly programming at airports that may fit a range of objectives, budgets, and staffing availability. Defining goals and available resources will help airport operators decide which type of program is the best fit. 9.1 Conclusions The most common benefit of these programs, as described by airports, is the improvement in public relations and increase in community engagement opportunities. Some airports also used their programs to engage with airport staff by offering educational opportunities. The airports that reported the most success with their programs leveraged existing public relations staff to spread awareness of their programs to the public through news articles, social media platforms, and the airportsâ websites. Contrary to expectation, all airport participants found no increases in wildlife hazards with the establishment of their pollinator-friendly programs. In fact, airports with active beekeeping programs found that relationships with beekeeping partners had resulted in easier swarm management. Closely monitoring swarm and wildlife hazards before and after the establishment of a program enables airports to judge the risks and successes of their unique programs. For this reason, airports participating in this study suggest beginning with small programs in order to remain flexible and able to respond to challenges as they arise. A common theme woven throughout this synthesis is the benefit derived from forging partner- ships with reputable organizations and individuals. For airports interested in establishing pollinator habitat, there are numerous organizations and resources available to aid in this endeavor. Respondents from airports with beekeeping operations stated that the success of their programs was largely attributable to a collaborative partnership with a reliable beekeeper or beekeeping operation. Airport respondents cited several types of partnerships with beekeepers, each with unique benefits and challenges. For example, though fee-for-service offered the most flexibility, it was often the most expensive and vulnerable to cuts in operating budgets. Airport respondents also noted that pollinator-friendly programs helped to build their sus- tainability portfolios and had ecological benefits. These benefits were largely derived from the public perception that beekeeping benefits the environment. However, research has also found that high concentrations of honeybees increase competition for resources among pollinators as well as the prevalence of pathogens in wild bees. These unintended ecological and environ- mental consequences should be considered before beginning a beekeeping program, particu- larly in sensitive environments or in areas with vulnerable wild bee populations. Airports most C H A P T E R 9 Conclusions and Further Research
60 Considerations for Establishing and Maintaining Successful Pollinator Programs on Airports interested in providing ecological benefits have focused on improving pollinator habitat through reduced mowing and the use of pollinator-friendly plantings and seed mixes. Although habitat building is a relatively new practice for airports, lessons can be learned from DOTs as well as existing technical guides. Lessons learned from DOTs and some airports indicate that habitat development has the potential benefit of reducing maintenance costs, but additional airport- specific research is needed to establish this. 9.2 Further Research This study presents numerous case examples from North American airports with pollinator- friendly programs and DOTs, as well as a synthesis of available literature on pollinator-friendly programs at airports. However, there were several important knowledge gaps identified that warrant future research. To further the efforts of airports in promoting pollinator-friendly pro- grams, future efforts should focus on these gaps. 9.2.1 Pollinator Habitat Most airportsâ pollinator-friendly programs involved beekeeping programs; few airports had programs dedicated to improving habitat for pollinators. Pollinator habitat programs are a key way in which airports can have a positive environmental impact. Given the small number of pollinator habitat enhancement programs at airports, airports must rely on existing tech- nical guides as well as lessons learned from DOTs. Additional research would help to under- stand how these existing practices and guides might or might not work on airport lands. For example, airports are constantly considering how plantings or seed mixes contribute to wildlife hazards. Future efforts could include developing a list of airport-approved pollinator seed mixes by reviewing planting options and seed mixes that attract and support pollinators while limiting wildlife hazard risks for airports. Reduced mowing is one method airports can use to improve pollinator habitat. Understanding how a reduction in mowing might con- tribute to reduced maintenance costs for airports is an important step in gaining support for this practice at airports. 9.2.2 Business Models and Revenue from Honey Sales Many airports with fee-for-service beekeeping programs expressed a goal of generating rev- enue through honey sales to support those programs. Only programs with medium to large apiaries were able to offset the cost of their beekeeping programs with honey sales. Future efforts could include compiling the business plans of these operations to understand how this can be accomplished in a fee-for-service model where the number of hives is small. The amount of honey a hive makes is directly dependent on the health of the bees and the quality and extent of surrounding forage. Improving habitat and ensuring bees are healthy and well taken care of should improve honey yields. 9.2.3 Competition and Disease Spillover Among Pollinators Numerous research studies have found that managed bees can negatively impact wild polli- nators through competition for flowering resources and by spreading disease. More research is needed to understand whether these impacts can be mitigated by improving habitat for all pollinators or by maintaining honeybee densities below a particular threshold. Owing to these uncertainties, the introduction and placement of managed honeybee apiaries should be carefully considered to avoid detrimental effects on native pollinator populations.
Conclusions and Further Research 61Â Â 9.2.4 Specific Guidelines There are no federal guidelines specific to the development of pollinator-friendly programs at airports. However, as summarized in this report, there exist many commonalities across pro- grams, including wildlife management, security and safety, and leasing and revenue. The growth and expansion of pollinator-friendly programs would benefit from more research on these commonalities and this could lead to published guidelines on the development of pollinator- friendly programs at airports.
