[Pollinator] for discussion: should honeybees be allowed into conservation/protected areas?

[Zac Browning]

Research has demonstrated, that as effective pollinators, honeybees can enhance the propagation of native plants and trees in most landscapes including public lands and conservation areas.
There is little [if any] conclusive evidence, that honeybees pose a threat, through over competition, to other pollinators. 
One of the greatest threats to all pollinators is habitat loss. Honeybees are facing continual displacement from key habitat, which is one of the primary reasons for their decline. Conservation planning and land management policies should not exclude or fail to promote all pollinators.
 Honeybees managed within a reasonable scope in conservation areas should not only benefit the area foliage, but also allow the honeybees to prosper in an area free from most farm chemicals, which are also causing significant harm to honeybees and all pollinators. 
 
Zac Browning  
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

-----Original Message-----
From: Randell Verhoek <r.verhoek at harvesthoneyinc.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2012 12:57:50 
To: <vmacphail at gmail.com>; <pollinator at lists.sonic.net>
Subject: Re: [Pollinator] for discussion: should honeybees be allowed into
	conservation/protected areas?

I believe they should as long as there are accessible roads that won't interfere with public walking trails and various areas of use to the public. I currently have honey bees on the Armond Bayou Conservation land in Houston, TX. We have our own access point away from the public where the bees do not interfere. Also, it is a win-win situation as I have a location to keep bees and the care-takers  get to enjoy honey that I share with them. The bees and native pollinators will and do co-exist just fine. The only threat of disease is the thousands of shipments of cargo containers being imported into U.S. on a daily basis where less than 2% are inspected. This is where mites, hive beetles, nosema ceranae....etc... have invaded and decimated our nations domestic honey bees. 
  
In my opinion wherever possible if beekeepers could have access to conservation areas that have enough flowers to make sense to keep bees there, it would be a benefit to our country where only good will be the outcome. 
  
Sincerely, 
  
Randy 

 Randy Verhoek 


Harvest Honey, Inc. 
American Honey Producers Association - Vice President 
Bismarck, ND 


Cell: 713-724-5993 







----------------
From: Victoria MacPhail <vmacphail at gmail.com>
To: Pollinator (NAPPC) List <pollinator at lists.sonic.net>
Sent: Fri, March 16, 2012 12:20:46 PM
Subject: [Pollinator] for discussion: should honeybees be allowed into conservation/protected areas?

I am interested in the members of this list's responses to the question, "should honeybee colonies be allowed in conservation/protected areas"?  I.e. While honeybees can certainly fly from their colonies on private land into a conservation area, should beekeepers be allowed to place their colonies directly into the conservation area?

A few of my initial thoughts:
against
- honeybees are non-native; generally we try to avoid introducing non-native species into conservation areas
- honeybees may out-compete native bees/pollinators, thus they may negatively affecting the native/local pollinators and the native/local plants seed-set
- introduced species (incl. honeybees) may potentially spread diseases

for
- honeybees may already be present in the conservation area if there are beekeepers with hives nearby
- beekeepers would be able to have a pesticide-free and undisturbed location for their bees
- if near a public trail/info centre, could use them as an opportunity for educating the public about all pollinators


Any other thoughts/discussion?

Victoria MacPhail
Guelph, Ontario
vmacphail at gmail.com <mailto:vmacphail at gmail.com>