For The Future Of Honey Bee Health
A new, iconic facility for honey bee health education, research, advocacy and outreach is being created. It will be a destination; a place of excellence in design, function and research. All in support of the future of honey bees.
For current updates on the new building project, click here.
Honey bees have always fascinated people. They are supreme examples of interdependence in nature and agriculture. With the right location and facilities, the HBRC will be able to expand its research and education programs and amplify public outreach. Together we can create a community movement to support bees and bee health through the HBRC.
In addition to a 100 hive apiary, the new facility design may include, but is not limited to:
- Public areas (indoor and outdoor) with interactive education spaces where visitors can experience either self-guided or guided tours
- Classroom space that can double as event space
- A dedicated area to sell honey and hive products
- A facility for extraction/processing and packaging of hive products including honey, pollen, propolis and beeswax
- A research laboratory
- Office space
- Pollinator gardens and walking trails
Honey bees and other pollinators provide the pollination necessary for 1/3 of the food that humans consume. The Honey Bee Research Centre’s (HBRC) mandate is to help honey bees continue this essential activity through research, teaching and outreach.
As honey bee colony mortality has increased significantly in the past decade, the HBRC’s role in bee health research has become increasingly important and recognized. The general public and all levels of government are now well aware of the importance of honey bees and are engaged in learning more about pollinators and in initiating projects to address the many factors affecting bee health. The interest in beekeeping as a hobby or profession has also surged exponentially. The HRBC offers apiculture courses and many other educational experiences for university students and the wider community.
Ongoing research and education is needed to support these pollinators and that is why the new and improved Honey Bee Research Centre is so important.
Visit https://alumni.uoguelph.ca/honeybee for a concept rendering of the new HBRC.
With your help, honey bee research and education will thrive for generations to come. For more information on how you can support the new Honey Bee Research Centre, contact:
Shannon Fawns
Development Manager, Ontario Agricultural College
fawnss@uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120 Ext. 53627