Reflection & Gratitude

The close of the year is always an important time of reflection for me. The start of 2022 was not an easy one. Many pieces of the foundation of BGO began to crack and crumble. The stop-gap projects and emergency funding from the pandemic were gone. Funding for projects that we had anticipated would last into the unforeseeable future dwindled and dissipated.

But the one thing we had going for us was our newly acquired BGO Research and Education Mo-bee-ile (thanks to our supporters and a generous local bank loan).

So I made a plan to hit the road to generate energy and new connections for BGO.

During 2022 I took the van on multiple research and education trips, the highlight being a 6 ½ week, 5,500 mile road trip to stay on farms, ranches, vineyards, public lands, reservations, and university research stations across 7 states. I met with leaders and worked as a visiting scholar and collaborator on primarily women-led projects to not only share my knowledge and skills, but to observe and deepen my understanding around the challenges and solutions for creating intentional bee habitat across the West.

This adventure (which felt along the lines of an epic quest), and a few other shorter trips were a success.

Friendships were made, grown, and deepened and collaborations were solidified over shared meals and pasture and prairie walks – paving the way for projects that will kickoff in 2023 - and continue for years to come.

We plan to continue and begin projects in Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, and Nevada.

BGO has opportunities to work on 13 ranches, farms, and vineyards (totaling nearly 30,000 acres) partnering with land managers in bee conservation through farmer-driven, data-informed projects.

We also plan to continue to reach thousands of young students through our live and virtual educational programs, inspiring the next generation to understand and love our bees.

Our fundraising is still ongoing to ensure this work can happen, and we really need your help. It's been a tough year for many nonprofits. Women-led environmental nonprofits receive a fraction of a percent of global giving, so your 2022 gift is so incredibly meaningful to us.

Reflection and Gratitude photo collage from the top left: Monitoring bees at Banyan Farm (OR); Observing bison and bee habitat at 777 Bison Ranch (SD); Happy bee on our Bee Friendly Vineyards Project at Trisaetum Winery's Ribbon Ridge Vineyard (OR); Monitoring bees for the "Buzz on the Range" project in Montana's Paradise Valley (MT); Setting up paddocks for rotational grazing with Meagan Lannan (MT); Oregon Bee Project training with our new reserach advisor/bee taxonomist, Sarah Gardner (OR); Meeting Rancher, Emily Fulstone's, worms (NV); Midgie and UNL's Dr. Judy Wu-Smart at the Alt-En site (NE); a happy bee oasis at the 777 Bison Ranch (SD).