BC Native Bee Course

The Native Bee Society of BC is hosting two bee school courses in the Okanagan this June. Each course has 15 spots available:

Session 1: June 15 - June 18, 2023

• Lab component: Thurs June 15 - Fri June 16
• Field component: Sat June 17 - Sun June 18

Session 2: June 17 - June 20, 2023

• Field component: Sat June 17 - Sun June 18
• Lab component: Mon June 19 - Tues June 20

If the session you would like is not availble, please join the waitlist here.

Location: The lab component of each course will take place at Okanagan College in Penticton, BC, and the field component will be hosted at Sawmill Lake in Oliver, BC.

Course Fees: The fee for the course is $500. We offer a $50 discount to NBSBC members,  or a $100 discount to participants of the Master Melittologist  program. A limited number of scholarships will be available to  participants with demonstrated financial need.

Syllabus: The course syllabus can be found here.

Application: Remaining spots are being sold on a first come - first served basis. Please complete the application here*, and then purchase the appropriate ticket. Additional tickets will be made availabe if currently registerd participants cancel their spots. 

* To ensure your application is complete, be sure to click the "Submit" button at the end of the form. This will be followed by a confirmation page stating: "Thanks for applying to join the NBSBC's 2023 BC Native Bee Course..."

Course Instructors

Lincoln Best - Lead Instructor

• Lincoln leads the Oregon Bee Atlas  and Master Melittologist programs in the faculty of Horticulture and  through Extension at Oregon State University. He hosts an annual BC  Native Bee Course in the southern Okanagan, Canada's bee biodiversity  hotspot.

Bonnie Zand - Co-Instructor

• Bonnie is based out of the Comox  Valley, on Vancouver Island. She works in the intersections of  pollinators and agriculture, running an IPM consulting company, Bonnie’s  Bugs IPM, and leading the Vancouver Island Pests, Pollinators and Beneficials Project. Bonnie is the BC instructor for the Master Melittoligst program. Bonnie also contributes to pollinator conservation through outreach to garden clubs, bee clubs, and school groups, as well  as through her work with the endangered Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly.

Marika Ai-Li - Course Coordinator

• Marika has led a variety of pollinator education, stewardship and native bee community science programs in Coast Salish territories over the past decade. She works as the Manager of Sites & Stewardship for the Environmental Youth Alliance where she oversees EYA's habitat restoration projects, native plant nursery and land-based education programs for equity-deserving youth. She has a BSc in Applied Biology, Plant & Soil Sciences from UBC and is completing the Restoration of Natural Systems Diploma at UVic.

Accommodations: Bee  School participants are required to arrange their own accommodations.  There are many hotels and AirBnB's available in the area. A recommended  campground close to the field site is Loose Bay Campground (no reservations, payment made on arrival).

Cancellation & Refund Policy: To cancel, please email us at bcnativebees@gmail.com with an email titled "Bee School Cancellation - [First and Last Name]".

• Cancellations prior to May 15, 2023 will receive a full refund, less a $30 administration fee.
• Cancellations  between May 15 and June 10, 2023 will be offered a refund (less the $30  administration fee) only in cases where we are able to confirm a  waitlisted participant to fill your spot.
• Refunds will not be administered following June 10, 2023