Management Plan
1. Monitoring of colonies in La Plata County-
There is not substantial information to determine if CCD is existent in Durango and a survey for local European Honey Bee keepers will determine whether or not a management plan is relevant to Durango.
Details
· An annual survey will be emailed to bee keepers in La Plata County
· The survey will ask bee keepers to specify the following-
a. Size of the colony
b. Percentage of loses
c. Location of hive
d. Type/brand of smokers/smoke used
e. If there is any known, nearby (10mile radius) pesticide usage
· This link will be email to both private and commercial beekeepers within La Plata County (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D652JGF)
Benefits-
· A survey would provide accurate data and statistics about Colony Collapse Disorder within La Plata County.
· There will be accurate data to show how CCD effects Durango.
· An online survey would eliminate paper and postal expenses.
Cons-
· It would be difficult to provide each farmer with a survey.
· Some beekeepers may not have internet access.
· The study would be inaccurate if not all beekeepers completed surveys.
· The study would be inaccurate if not all beekeepers received surveys.
· The study would be inaccurate if keepers misinterpreted hive losses that were not actually related to CCD.
2. Public awareness campaign about neonicotinoids-
Neonicotinoid pesticides are a type of neuro-active insecticides that have been linked to CCD.
Details-
· Make the public aware of pesticides that may be contributing to CCD.
· Awareness of CCD and possible factors of it will increase support of an eventual ban on neonicotinoid pesticides.
· The pesticide awareness campaign will target farmers and city park managers who initiate pesticide usage of city parks within La Plata County.
· The public campaign will consist of posters being hung up and distributed to businesses in La Plata County.
· Neonicotinoids are the most popular pesticide in the world (Keim), and may be contributing to an ecological disaster.
Long-term goal of campaign:
1. To encourage consumers to encourage farmers and city workers to stop the use of neonicotinoid pesticides and to outlaw neonicotinoid coated seeds.
2. Help determine whether or not the use of neonicotinoid pesticides contribute to CCD (If neonicotinoids are banned are outlawed and CCD continues to progress, it can be concluded that neonicotinoids are not a major contributor to CCD.)
3. Ban the agricultural use of neonicotinoid pesticides such as in France, Germany, Slovenia, and Italy. A ban may lead to similar results to prior bans where beekeepers experienced recovery of their bee population within two years (Keim). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has already identified imidacloprid and colthianidin pesticides as being extremely harmful to bees (Keim); if they are outlawed bees will have a higher probability of making a successful recovery from CCD without further management.
4. To help support alternatives to neonicotinoids and encourage the use of organic pesticides.
Benefits-
· If farmers become aware of the harmful effects of neonicotinoid pesticides, they may terminate the usage of them. Neonicotinoids cannot contribute to CCD if they are not used. If the prevention of neonicotinoids occurs and is not a factor in CCD, other factors can be focused on.
Cons-
· Planning, organization, and distribution of posters would be costly.
· If pesticides are not a factor in CCD the funding for the campaign would be misused.
3. Public education campaign encouraging the public to keep bees:
CCD has caused bee populations to drop up to 90% (Johnson), more bee hives for the non-native honey bee species would allow healthier, increased populations.
Details-
· Will inform people of the benefits of keeping bees
1. Honey.
2. Bees pollinate gardens.
3. Bees are responsible for pollinating $15 billion in agriculture every year. (Haagen Dazs)
· This entails a public awareness campaign and public education campaign.
· Enforcers of this campaign could be both volunteers and a paid staff.
· This campaign will target citizens of the four corners.
· Because European Honey Bee species that we rely on is not native to the United States, their colonies struggle to exist without keepers.
· The campaigns will consist of posters distributed to businesses of La Plata County.
· Will inform the general public and provide them with a phone number to receive information on setting up a new hive location.
· If the number of beekeepers in La Plata county increases by 10%, the project will be considered successful.
Benefits-
· If more people keep bees, there will be increased bee populations.
Cons-
· People may not be motivated to keep bees.
· People may not practice proper bee keeping techniques.
· People may not be financially prepared to keep bees
There is not substantial information to determine if CCD is existent in Durango and a survey for local European Honey Bee keepers will determine whether or not a management plan is relevant to Durango.
Details
· An annual survey will be emailed to bee keepers in La Plata County
· The survey will ask bee keepers to specify the following-
a. Size of the colony
b. Percentage of loses
c. Location of hive
d. Type/brand of smokers/smoke used
e. If there is any known, nearby (10mile radius) pesticide usage
· This link will be email to both private and commercial beekeepers within La Plata County (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D652JGF)
Benefits-
· A survey would provide accurate data and statistics about Colony Collapse Disorder within La Plata County.
· There will be accurate data to show how CCD effects Durango.
· An online survey would eliminate paper and postal expenses.
Cons-
· It would be difficult to provide each farmer with a survey.
· Some beekeepers may not have internet access.
· The study would be inaccurate if not all beekeepers completed surveys.
· The study would be inaccurate if not all beekeepers received surveys.
· The study would be inaccurate if keepers misinterpreted hive losses that were not actually related to CCD.
2. Public awareness campaign about neonicotinoids-
Neonicotinoid pesticides are a type of neuro-active insecticides that have been linked to CCD.
Details-
· Make the public aware of pesticides that may be contributing to CCD.
· Awareness of CCD and possible factors of it will increase support of an eventual ban on neonicotinoid pesticides.
· The pesticide awareness campaign will target farmers and city park managers who initiate pesticide usage of city parks within La Plata County.
· The public campaign will consist of posters being hung up and distributed to businesses in La Plata County.
· Neonicotinoids are the most popular pesticide in the world (Keim), and may be contributing to an ecological disaster.
Long-term goal of campaign:
1. To encourage consumers to encourage farmers and city workers to stop the use of neonicotinoid pesticides and to outlaw neonicotinoid coated seeds.
2. Help determine whether or not the use of neonicotinoid pesticides contribute to CCD (If neonicotinoids are banned are outlawed and CCD continues to progress, it can be concluded that neonicotinoids are not a major contributor to CCD.)
3. Ban the agricultural use of neonicotinoid pesticides such as in France, Germany, Slovenia, and Italy. A ban may lead to similar results to prior bans where beekeepers experienced recovery of their bee population within two years (Keim). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has already identified imidacloprid and colthianidin pesticides as being extremely harmful to bees (Keim); if they are outlawed bees will have a higher probability of making a successful recovery from CCD without further management.
4. To help support alternatives to neonicotinoids and encourage the use of organic pesticides.
Benefits-
· If farmers become aware of the harmful effects of neonicotinoid pesticides, they may terminate the usage of them. Neonicotinoids cannot contribute to CCD if they are not used. If the prevention of neonicotinoids occurs and is not a factor in CCD, other factors can be focused on.
Cons-
· Planning, organization, and distribution of posters would be costly.
· If pesticides are not a factor in CCD the funding for the campaign would be misused.
3. Public education campaign encouraging the public to keep bees:
CCD has caused bee populations to drop up to 90% (Johnson), more bee hives for the non-native honey bee species would allow healthier, increased populations.
Details-
· Will inform people of the benefits of keeping bees
1. Honey.
2. Bees pollinate gardens.
3. Bees are responsible for pollinating $15 billion in agriculture every year. (Haagen Dazs)
· This entails a public awareness campaign and public education campaign.
· Enforcers of this campaign could be both volunteers and a paid staff.
· This campaign will target citizens of the four corners.
· Because European Honey Bee species that we rely on is not native to the United States, their colonies struggle to exist without keepers.
· The campaigns will consist of posters distributed to businesses of La Plata County.
· Will inform the general public and provide them with a phone number to receive information on setting up a new hive location.
· If the number of beekeepers in La Plata county increases by 10%, the project will be considered successful.
Benefits-
· If more people keep bees, there will be increased bee populations.
Cons-
· People may not be motivated to keep bees.
· People may not practice proper bee keeping techniques.
· People may not be financially prepared to keep bees