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Community Education Program
The goal of the SCBA Community Education Program is to educate the Sonoma County community on the importance of pollinators, in particular the honey bee. We do this through:
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Presenting to students at local schools.
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Engaging the public at fairs, parades, and other events.
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Providing a swarm retrieval service to the public.
Beekeepers can do their best when it comes to their apiaries, but not everyone is or wants to be a beekeeper. Everyone, however, impacts pollinators in their daily lives through their choices and activities. Learning about honey bees and pollinators in general changes lives, especially those of the youth. The Community Education Program is how SCBA interacts and engages our neighbors across the county, continually reinforcing our place as knowledgeable and helpful beekeepers to the public at large.
Educational PresentationsThe heart of the SCBA Community Education Program is educational presentations in which teachers can solicit a trained volunteer to give a grade appropriate presentation at their school, or members of a community organization can request a presentation for adults. For younger students, our presenters offer hands-on activities including singing, drawing, and manipulating bee-related items. For older students and adults, more advanced topics are covered including genetics and environmental issues. If you are interested in requesting a presentation, We look forward to hearing from you! |
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| Community EventsSonoma County is home to a plethora of wonderful community events every year, many of which center on agriculture and the outdoors. SCBA proudly participates in multiple events every year, engaging huge swaths of the public and educating on the importance of honey bees and pollination. Our participation can take various forms, from a volunteer-staffed table with educational resources, to informative presentations delivered to the public, to interactive floats in parades. Presence at events lets our community know that friendly beekeepers are nearby, ready to answer questions, offer advice, and chat endlessly about the wonders of the honey bee. |
Public Swarm RetrievalEvery year bee colonies engage in a process called swarming, in which approximately half the colony leaves the nest with the queen and searches for a new home. It is an amazing sight to behold, and also a very dangerous time for the bees. With no protection from the elements and only a small amount of food, the majority of swarms that do not find an adequate nest site within a couple days will perish. Furthermore, people are understandably uncomfortable around swarms and may attempt to kill them. SCBA offers a public swarm retrieval service where one of our trained beekeepers will be dispatched to the swarm site and attempt to safely catch the swarm, giving it a loving home. If you want to report a swarm of honey bees, Thanks for helping save the bees! |
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