We need bees. They are one of the world’s most important pollinators of food crops, contributing to the production of roughly one third of the world’s food supply.
They also help provide half of the world’s fibres, oils and other raw materials, contribute to the development of medicine, provide food for wildlife and help prevent soil erosion. Unfortunately there has been a decline in bee populations due to a vast array of environmental factors. The international Centre for Young Beekeepers strives to support the next generation of beekeepers and encourage their efforts to support this critical resource in the environment. They host an international competition each year, bringing young beekeepers from around the world to learn more about this activity.
This year, three young beekeepers from Ontario will be traveling to Dubai, UAE to represent Canada at the 13th annual International Meeting of Young Beekeepers (IMYB). Canada is one of only twenty countries participating in the event. The Canadian competitors are all graduates of the Kawartha Junior Beekeepers program: Heidi Westby from Cavan, Rebecca Wood from Pontypool and Ben Marshall from Trent Hills. All are avid beekeepers and eager to represent their country at this unique event. They are busy preparing, including fundraising and improving their beekeeping skills and knowledge and have received mentoring and support from Cavan residents Lenka Petric and John MacFarlane, Kawartha Junior Beekeeper Mentors and Team Canada IMYB Coordinators.
At fifteen years of age, Heidi has been a member of the Kawartha Junior Beekeepers program for eight years and now volunteers with the organization as a mentor. Her passion for beekeeping was the inspiration behind the science fair project which earned her 3rd place in the Earth and Environmental Sciences class of the 2024 Peterborough Science Fair. She is looking forward to representing Canada in Dubai and hopes the event will launch the next phase of her beekeeping venture. Her plans are to continue her education in a career in honeybee research.
Seventeen year old Rebecca began her beekeeping journey when she joined Kawartha Junior Beekeepers at ten years of age in an effort to overcome a fear of bees. The club motivated her to have hives of her own and she continues to support these pollinators in her community. She has become involved in community and school-based environmental organizations and created the Bee-Friend Pollinators outreach program and the Seed Library project and this year received 2024 Youth Environmental Hero award. She wants to continue to support pollinators and hopes to gain a greater understanding of the global impact of these efforts to become part of the solution to protect these pollinators.
Ben Marshall of Trent Hills is the third participant for Canada and has been an avid beekeeper since the age of twelve. He manages his own hives and sells the honey they produce. He is also dedicated to helping kids become confident swimmers and is a certified lifeguard and swim instructor, operating his own swimming lesson company. He looks forward to deepening his beekeeping knowledge and understanding how this is done in different parts of the world.
At the IMYB, these participants will be judged on their beekeeping skills and knowledge across a wide range of areas including frame/hive assembly, bee handling skills, queen grafting, bee biology and anatomy, pests and diseases and honey tasting.
The IMYB started in 2010 in the Czech Republic and has become the largest international meeting for young beekeepers worldwide. The meeting includes a competition, as well as social and cultural activities. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for these youth to represent their country and a unique opportunity to learn about beekeeping around the world. The theme of this year’s event is “Beekeeping in Arid Lands” and participants will learn about the characteristics of beekeeping within desert environments and the ecological importance of bees for this unique ecosystem.
The Team will be traveling with two chaperones. The estimated cost for this trip, including the team registration fee and travel, is approximately $12,000. Fundraising efforts are underway to help offset the cost of the trip and make it more affordable for the youth and chaperones who are attending.
The Kawartha Junior Beekeepers program is a hands-on program for youth which follows the beekeepers’ year…once a month, the youth get together to learn about bees and the role of beekeepers, while participating in activities such as equipment making, hive management and honey harvesting. A valued partner in this program is Hunnabees Honey and Co. in Millbrook.
If you would like to support this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these young people, visit gofund.me/6c592e69. KG