Environment Seminar: A Bee New Deal: Moving Past Socio-Cultural Challenges In Pollinator Conservation

Pollinator declines have become one of the most ubiquitous environmental problems discussed among policy-makers, ENGOs and the public over the past decade. As such, resource-intensive programs and policies have been developed to “save the bees”. However, these initiatives often focus on specific narratives influenced by industries which does not always align with the science. They also do not consider other knowledge systems nor do they use a social justice framework. Dr. Colla will talk about where we’ve gone wrong in our attempts to save bees despite intense political and public will, and she will explain how we can move forward to conserve them and the ecosystem services they provide.

Dr. Sheila Colla is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her research deals with the conservation of at-risk species including native pollinators and wildflowers. She also works with NGOs and policymakers to advise conservation management across North America. In 2014, she launched a North American Citizen Science project, BumbleBeeWatch.org, with various partners. This allows the public to help build a long term database of bumblebees which can be used to look at changes in abundance and distribution over time in light of global change.