4-H Delivers

Berkeley's Busy Bees

The Issue

In recent years, there has been an increase in environmental awareness and concern. Youth want to help, but oftentimes they are unsure about specific steps they can take. Learning about the environment and horticulture through hands-on work has a much greater impact on youth than classroom lessons. Combining this notion of experiential learning with environmental concern, building an urban bee garden is a great way to support native bees and plants. The California native bee population has been declining due to urban encroachment and invasive exotic plant species. Bees are important pollinators for farm crops and natural areas.

What has 4-H Done?

In 2005, Mona, a UC Berkeley student, was doing groundbreaking research on urban bee garden habitats. She wanted to share her research and educate the public. With help, she located the Pacifica 4-H club and began a bee garden project.

The project members planted native and drought-resistant plant species from the Bay Area Seed Interchange Library, assisted by donations from Dr. Frankie of UC Berkeley. The group constructed a 3-bin hot compost system with donated pallets. Some of the members with livestock brought manure to add to the compost bins.

As they began building the garden, the members wanted to learn more. Mona and two UC Berkeley classmates, Cliff and Lori, created experiential environmental curriculum tailored to the group’s diverse age range and interests. Each month they focused on different topics. The curriculum covered all aspects of native and exotic bee species. The 4-H members learned about pollination, native plants, propagation, soil, composting, and pest management.

The Payoff

The older project members are often paired with younger members in order to develop a mentoring partnership. This partnership encourages the younger members to share their thoughts and ideas. The involvement of parents and project leaders has also helped form stronger relationships and cooperation between youth and adults.

Currently, the garden is thriving, thanks to the time and hard work invested by the 4-H members. The education they received is put into practical use when they work in the garden. They have become passionate about the ecology of natural systems and native flora and fauna.

It’s not all hard work; gardening and learning is also a lot of fun! “We keep the energy of our program up by playing ecological games and having creative workshops,” explains Mona.

In the future, the project members are excited to design and enter a bee garden in the San Mateo County Fair. They are sure to bee winners!

Author: Vanessa Zubkousky, State 4-H Office Student Assistant