CORVALLIS, Ore. – Did you know that bees in Oregon could be emerald green and cobalt blue? Did you know that some don’t sting or bumble? And some are so small they appear as just specks in the sky?
Andony Melathopoulos, Oregon State’s pollinator health Extension specialist and an associate professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences, is dedicated to making sure each of Oregon’s unique 800-plus species of bees thrive.
“Oregonians want to ensure that the bees of the state are doing well,” said Melathopoulos, whose position and the associated OSU pollinator health lab were funded by the Oregon legislature after a series of mass bee deaths in 2013.
During his eight years at OSU, Melathopoulos has educated pesticide applicators about pollinator-safe practices, organized a statewide bee survey, and collaborated with agencies on pollinator health plans.
One of Melathopoulos’ most successful projects has been collaborating with local vineyards to increase pollinator-friendly habitat through the Bee Friendly Vineyards program. The program is supported by a U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Farmer/Rancher grant and a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant.
Unique to Oregon
OSU Extension has partnered with the Pollinator Partnership, LIVE Certified Sustainable, and 30 vineyards to provide them with annual reports on pollinator health and research-backed recommendations on what to plant on their property.
“We developed an automatic reporting tool,” said Melathopoulos. All the growers have to do is photograph plants on their properties. Then, OSU can generate information like:
- How many bees are at the vineyard
- What species are at the vineyard
- What plants can increase both of those metrics
By implementing these tools, vineyards can be certified as producing “Bee Friendly Wine.”
Melathopoulos said the Bee Friendly Vineyard program relies on a “huge amount of data” that OSU has already invested in collecting.
“OSU has the largest data set on the planet of bee plant interactions, over 200,000 interactions, where our volunteers have collected a bee and observed what plant it was on,” he said.
“You couldn't do this in another state,” said Melathopoulos. “OSU is the first institution in the nation that can really drill down into the bee-plant interactions that are possible.”
A special partnership
Speaking with vineyardists reveals what the collaboration looks like from their perspective.
Sokol Blosser Winery in Dayton has been partnering with OSU Extension for over 50 years, from cover crop research to pest advice. So, when Melathopoulos reached out to Susan Sokol Blosser, one of the co-founders, to collaborate she quickly said yes. “I loved the idea,” she said.
Her vineyard has been hosting a pollinator tour of the vineyard for two years to “teach the public about the incredible number and variety of pollinators that we share habitat with.” At last count, Sokol Blosser is home to 60 species of bees.
“Andony has made our partnership easy,” Sokol Blosser said, especially crediting his students who assisted in the project.
Clay Wesson, head of viticulture at Montinore Estates in Forest Grove, also credits Melathopoulos and his team. “Andony provided a good perspective as well as donated seeds,” said Wesson. “His graduate students came out nearly monthly to observe the plots as well as give us recommendations about how to properly maintain trials.”
Wesson, who was trained as both an organic and biodynamic inspector, feels especially passionate about the environmental impacts. “My philosophy is based around organic and regenerative farming practices,” he said.
Heath Payne, director of vineyard operations at Abbott Claim in Carlton, said there are over 100 species of bees on his vineyard’s property. Payne explains that most of Abbott Claim is dedicated to conservation or diversified crops. “Only a small portion of the property is devoted to producing wine grapes,” he said.
Partnering with OSU was “a no-brainer,” said Payne. “It was easy for us to implement.”
Warm reception
Since starting the program, Melathopoulos has hosted many educational opportunities at partner vineyards through the Bee Friendly Wine Tour — leading to wide public engagement with pollinators.
“What I heard repeatedly from attendees was ‘I had no idea that there was this amount of diversity of bees in Oregon,’” said Melathopoulos. “People come and ask us, ‘Where can we get this pollinator-friendly plant?’”
The vineyardists agree that the public has enthusiastically adopted their pollinator friends, which has led to economic benefits for the vineyards too.
“Here at Abbott Claim, visitations are up,” said Payne. They are improving the financial bottom line, Payne said, crediting the unique conservation investments.
“We keep hearing over and over that there’s just something different here at Abbott Claim,” said Payne, “I think it’s because we have an opportunity to send a different message to the consumer.”
Ultimately, the collaboration strengthens everyone. Bees gain more habitat, vineyards get more visitors, and customers get a great product and experience.
Plus, it is a reminder of the Oregon wine industry’s unique environmental consciousness. With between 35-40% of our planted vineyard acreage certified sustainably farmed, Oregon is widely credited as leading the way in eco-friendly wine.
Melathopoulos said: “When consumers are drinking Oregon wine, they are having a taste of a wine that's been grown with sustainability in mind.”
