Province-Wide Bee Monitoring in Alberta (by Meghan Jacklin- ANBC Director)
Have you heard about the Alberta Native Bee Council’s Province-wide Bee Monitoring Program? If not, or to learn more, read on!
Background
Insect pollinators are a diverse group, and a crucial component of terrestrial ecosystems due to the pollination services they provide to natural ecosystems and crops. Globally, pollinators are under threat from habitat loss and fragmentation, species invasions, climate change, pesticides and other anthropogenic stressors. As a result, there is growing concern about declines in wild pollinator populations, particularly bees, which we rely on so heavily. To assess and potentially help the bees, we need information, but the lack of data on bees in Alberta is concerning. We know very little about the status of our pollinators, even though there are almost twice as many bee species in the province than all of the mammals, amphibians, reptiles and fish species combined.
What is the Province-wide Bee Monitoring program?
Long-term, repeatable monitoring is necessary to understand the current status of wild bee populations, as well as trends and changes over time. To address the lack of data and monitoring of native bee populations in Alberta, the Alberta Native Bee Council (ANBC) implemented a pilot program for province-wide sampling of wild bees in 2018. The program made extensive use of volunteers: Alberta Forestry staff working at fire lookouts throughout the province and other volunteers set out sampling equipment, and university students and citizen scientists helped process samples. This collaborative effort led by a newly formed grassroots organization, was undertaken with countless hours of in kind and volunteer support and with a total budget of $15,000 through ANBC funds and an Alberta Conservation Association grant acquired by partners at the University of Calgary and resulted in the most robust sampling of native bees ever undertaken in a single season in Alberta. This has provided a comprehensive inventory of native bees in Alberta, a better understanding of bee distributions and relative abundances, and has already been used to inform species recovery strategies.
To support continued implementation, improvement, and expansion of sampling coverage across the province, and to fully realize the potential for the data to inform decision-makers and the public, the Alberta Native Bee Council and the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) will collaborate to undertake a second round of province-wide bee monitoring in Alberta in 2024. The vision for the monitoring program is to inventory bees across the province at approximately five-year intervals so that long-term trends in pollinator populations and diversity may be better understood.
Why does it matter?
This extensive dataset will document the baseline status of bee communities, allowing modelling and analysis, generation of data, reports, and associated materials that will be publicly available. This will inform resource management regarding the status and recovery of species at risk. The program also provides opportunities to engage skilled volunteers and trained citizen scientists at various stages of sampling and sample processing, learning experiences for undergraduate students, and opportunities for community engagement and public education.
How can I get involved?
1. Support the Alberta Native Bee Council by becoming member
3. Partake in the ANBC Spring 50/50 Raffle - Funds from this raffle will support our 2024 Provincial Monitoring Program (and other initiatives too!)
4. Stay informed of the latest ANBC news and events by subscribing to our newsletter (Scroll to the bottom of our Homepage to sign up).
You may donate to support Alberta Native Bee Council programs, including the Provincial Monitoring Program or contact us to get involved!
Acknowledgments
We are pleased to thank our donors and the Alberta EcoTrust Foundation for providing the funding for the monitoring program in 2024. This grant has funded the Alberta Native Bee Council’s first paid staff member, who is planning, organizing, and making the Provincial Monitoring program happen in 2024. This is a huge step forward for our small nonprofit and for efforts to understand and preserve Alberta’s pollinators.
We can’t wait to see what the future brings!