Bees are in decline worldwide, and this World Bee Day Saturday 20 May, Churchill Fellows working in the area are vital to ensure Australia’s bee population remains strong and healthy. Currently in Australia the entire bee and honey industry is on alert due to pest, Varroa Destructor, being found last year in NSW.
Passionate Churchill Fellows over the years have undertaken Fellowships as champions of our food security, working tirelessly to address environmental concerns and protect these invaluable pollinators. Among these include Tiffane Bates from WA and Anita Long from TAS.
Tiffane is a fourth generation beekeeper and has been involved in beekeeping in WA for nearly 30 years. Tiffane went to France, Germany, Portugal, NZ, UK and USA on her Churchill Fellowship to study the breeding of bees that are resistant to the parasitic mite Varroa. Through her dedicated research, Tiffane has been working to understand and address the pressing issues faced by bees today. She has also shared some of her valuable insights and experiences in her bee research journey with Buzz Ed Australia.
“Working with bees is such a great privilege, they are remarkable creatures. Beyond crop pollination, both native and introduced bees have contributed to our ecosystems and culture since ancient times. We are doing our best to help bees stay as healthy as possible for our future together,” said Tiffane.
Deeply passionate about bees and programs to support beekeeping, is recent Churchill Fellow Anita Long. Anita will soon be headed to the Czech Republic, UK, Slovenia, and Poland to investigate development programs for young beekeepers that are scalable to an Australian context.
Anita said: “I am excited to embark on my Churchill Fellowship, and to learn how other nations support people, particularly younger generations, in beekeeping,”
Adam Davey, CEO of the Winston Churchill Trust was proud to acknowledge Churchill Fellows who are passionate about bees, beekeeping, and wider environmental concerns. “As we mark World Bee Day, it is crucial to recognize the vital contributions that bees make to our planet’s well-being,”
“We also acknowledge our Fellows contributions to the preservation and conservation of these invaluable pollinators, fundamental to our food security and the delicate balance of nature,” said Adam.
More information about Churchill Fellows and bee related reports.