> hydroponic greenhouses
and shallow-root drip-irrigated farms sprang up to supply farmers markets,
restaurants, and green grocers
>Another two words - "Community Gardens...
Lots and lots of community gardens and backyard gardens re-tooled from
ornamentals to veggies.

Hydroponic greenhouses rarely use honey bees I suspect, and as to the rest,
most vegetables - other than perhaps runner and French beans (both of which
need bumblebees, rather than honey bees) do not need bees at all (I am
thinking potatoes, leeks, onions, peas, carrots, salad crops and so on).
Perhaps marrows, courgettes and squashes will benefit, but again bumblebees
(and beetles) will do the job.

>Money is spent by individuals to "save the bees" in cities, no public funds
are spent.

My point was that the UK's Pollinator Strategy document specifically commits
public money:
" For example, we are contributing to a large-scale project in Bristol to
support its role as European Green Capital in 2015. One of the project’s
aims is to enhance the environment for pollinators and to help achieve this
Defra is funding the creation of three urban meadows."

The post (sorry, I deleted it) regarding Aberdeen reinforced my point: bees
doing well in the city, countryside a desert except for oilseed rape.  So
where does the money, time and effort need to be spent?  Answers on a
postcard to Defra please!

Best wishes

Peter 
52°14'44.44"N, 1°50'35"W
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