Beekeeper in protective gear documenting hive observations at an apiary

Research & Insights

What the Field Teaches Us

BeeNova documents what is happening at the places where we work, then looks for patterns over time. We share observations and findings after review and with appropriate participant permission.

Careful observation begins with knowing what was seen, where, and when. We also record what remains uncertain. That discipline helps us ask better questions and make more useful decisions with local partners.

Where We Are Working

Three sites. Different stages.

BeeNova works across three distinct contexts. Uganda is our most developed program with longitudinal field data and site expansions. Lummi Island and Greece are active contexts where observation and relationship-building are underway.

Green hills and farmland in Rwampara, Uganda — BeeNova active field site

East Africa

Active program

Uganda

25 women beekeepers · 50 managed hives

Eleven months of longitudinal field data and site improvements as of October 2026.

Our most developed field program, based in Ibanda District. Observation and stewardship work is ongoing, and analysis is beginning to reveal patterns in hive health and seasonal conditions. Establishing new beekeeping apiary to expand to 100 hives, improve practices, develop a practical learning environment for women and other community members interested in beekeeping.

Aerial view of a Pacific Northwest island in the Salish Sea — Lummi Island field site

Pacific Northwest, USA

Active PROGRAM

Lummi Island, Washington

Observation and site documentation underway

Coastal island work in the Salish Sea.

BeeNova is working with local land stewards and beekeepers on hive placement, observation, site documentation, and regional beekeeper training and collaborations. This context is distinct from mainland agricultural settings and informs how we approach coastal and island ecologies.

Mediterranean

Active context

Greece

Observation and relationship-building underway

Traditional apiculture under Mediterranean conditions.

Work in a context shaped by traditional apiculture, diverse flora, and the pressures facing pollinator populations across the Mediterranean. Observation and local partnership development are ongoing.

Areas of Focus

Questions We Follow

These questions guide our field observations, documentation, and review over time.

What does a reliable field record actually require?

Structured observation and the discipline of checking — not just looking.

What can repeated observations reveal over time?

Changes in pollinators, habitat, and site conditions that a single visit cannot show.

What does local knowledge contribute that instruments cannot?

Community participation and stewardship build a picture of place that remote data alone cannot produce.

How do stewardship practices relate to colony and site conditions?

Recording practices alongside field observations helps us explore these relationships over time.

Field Notes

Field notes share the place, the question, what was documented, what remains uncertain, and what happens next. We publish observations and findings after review and with appropriate participant permission.

Follow the Work

To ask about BeeNova's work or discuss a collaboration, get in touch.

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