Project Bee Smart

Environmental Designs for Bee Conservation

Project Leads

Juli Carrillo, Acting Academic Director, Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, UBC Farm & Assistant Professor, Faculty of Land and Food Systems

Tara Moreau, Associate Director of Sustainability and Community Programs at UBC Botanical Garden

Funding

LFS Internal Research Grants Program, NSERC & West Coast Seeds

About the Project

Native bumble bees are key pollinators of crops like blueberries, squash, and tomatoes, making them critical players in BC’s Agricultural Sector. Habitat loss, a lack of suitable food plants, interactions with commercial bees, and changing climate, however, are all taking a toll on native bumble bee abundance and diversity. Project BEE Smart will monitor and track native bumblebee abundance across various locations on campus, including UBC Botanical Garden and UBC Farm. This research pilot study will also determine the preferred host plants, microclimate, and weather variables associated with bumble bee abundance and diversity. Fueled by citizen science, Project BEE Smart aims to increase public ownership and awareness of native bumble bee conservation, and increase the public’s literacy on native bumble bees of our region.