Caring for Parks

Bee Watch is a community based science project that engages volunteers in collecting data about bees and other pollinators across a diverse range of habitat in Boise including parks, open spaces, and pollinator gardens. Although bees are the most important and efficient pollinators, our current understanding of the types of bees that utilize different habitats is limited. The goal of Bee Watch is to track bee diversity and abundance in pollinator habitat to ultimately assess effectiveness, monitor changes over time, and make informed management decisions.

Participants will be assigned specific park/open spaces locations to conduct bi-monthly surveys using iNaturalist. A summer-long commitment is required to participate in the program. To learn more, please attend the kick-off event on April 24th from 5:30-7:00pm at the Jim Hall Foothills Learning Center. Monthly group check-ins (Wednesday from 3-4:30pm) and continuing education seminars will be provided for volunteer support. Participation in Bee Watch is not required to attend the seminars.

Seminar Schedule

June 4 – Brad Stokes, University of Idaho - Extension Educator; Subject TBD

July 9 – Sierra Laverty, Idaho Plant Doctor; The Natural History of Bees + IDing Idaho Native Bees

August 8 – Dr. Paul Castrovillo, Curator of Lepidoptera – College of Idaho; Native Butterflies and Moths of Idaho