Bee Steward Program

• Those seeking an introductory education in native bee biology and those looking for practical tools to enhance native bee health and biodiversity through habitat creation and stewardship
  or
• Those interested in the Master Melittologist Program who aren’t willing or able to kill bees for collection and curation, or who aren't yet ready to begin surveying for bees. If your interest in wild bee surveying is piqued after completing the Bee Steward course, you are eligible to enter the Master Melittologist Apprentice Program for a reduced fee ($200).

While we are happy to welcome students from any location, please note that our course materials have a Pacific Northwest focus, and student packets and certificates can only be mailed to addresses within the United States and Canada.

The program fee is $125.

If your interest in wild bee surveying is piqued after completing the Bee Steward course, you are eligible to enter the Master Melittologist Apprentice Program for a reduced fee ($200).

• 18 years or older
• Access to a computer and reliable internet connection

• 5 online, self-paced class modules
• Bonus modules from the Master Melittologist Program and the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program
• Extensive resource lists for additional study
• A course manual
• Quarterly zoom check-ins with instructors

1. Complete five online training modules in Canvas, including quizzes and assignments.
2. Complete a Habitat Assessment, as well as a plant inventory of a property using iNaturalist (covered in Module 5). This might include your own residence, woodland or farm, but could also be a school or community garden or natural area where you volunteer.
3. Participate in one outreach event to the public.
4. Attend one zoom session with instructors.

Bee Steward students have access to five self-paced modules and two bonus lectures via Canvas, OSU's e-learning platform. This means distance or scheduling conflicts do not affect the student's opportunity to participate in the classes. Additional quarterly Zoom check-ins give students a chance to ask questions and meet others in the program.

Module 1: What is a Bee Steward?

Module 2: General Principles of Managing Landscapes for Bees

Module 3: Building Bee Habitat

Module 4: Making a Plan

Module 5: Bee Biology 101

BONUS: Why Become a Master Melittologist? lectures from the Master Melittologist Program

BONUS: Selected Honey Bee Biology lectures from the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program

Purchasing our course as a gift for another person:

• Visit the gift purchase site: https://beav.es/TeA
• The form will prompt for an amount ($125), and then you will add the recipient’s information and the course name (Bee Steward Program).
• You will enter your billing information on the payment page.
• Then contact Jen Larsen ([email protected]) to let her know that you paid as we will not get a copy of the payment.
• You will receive an automatic confirmation message from TouchNet for your purchase. PLEASE NOTE: If you enter the gift recipient’s email then they will get a message too, something to think about if it is a surprise.

How to redeem a gift:

• You will notify the recipient of the gift by sending them the link to register for the course: https://apps.ideal-logic.com/osuextension
• Then the recipient will register themselves for the program, as they will need to set up their own log in account (using Google, Microsoft, facebook, LinkedIn). When the recipient reaches the Payment tab in the registration, they can click “Save for later” and contact [email protected] to complete the process for them.