Iain Glass – Executive Director
I was fortunate to start keeping honey bees with my father when I was very young. I had “my own hive” at seven. I don’t remember learning, but I do remember the rapid changes with “Colony Collapse Disorder” and being dismayed by how these beautiful creatures’ world was changing. One day following a passionate discussion about science, bats and wind turbines, it just hit me that maybe I could effect some changes for our pollinator friends. I would test some genetic / Darwinian principles and if they were successful, at a grass roots level we would scale these and document the results for others to follow the path. The experiments went well. We built a grass roots collaboration. And we have now setup the Federal Non-Profit to “Follow the Science for the Bees”. I am grateful.
Raymond Mah – Chief Creative Officer
More information coming soon.
David Weldon – Director
With a formal education in chemical engineering I spent most of my adult years working in the pulp and paper industry selling and servicing industrial chemicals. It wasn’t until well into my adult years that I discovered the fascinating world of honey bees. Apis mellifera have a complex and fascinating society and there is so much we can learn from them about ourselves and the world we live in. I started with a package from a beekeeper in Texas who claimed at the time that they hadn’t treated their bees for varroa mites nor disease in over ten years, breeding from survivor colonies and selecting for gentleness. Those bees showed me what is possible and left me convinced that we are not doing our bees any favours when we intervene with chemicals and antibiotics to keep the weak bees alive.
Garret Wilkinson – Director
Growing up on a small mixed farm in Delta, BC, my first memories of honey bees at a very young age was sitting in a field of dandelions watching them collect the pollen and placing it on their legs. This early introduction to bees led me to understand that everything in nature has a place and purpose even though at times it doesn’t always appear so. My life lessons on sustainability growing up on the farm will always be etched in my mind as important aspects to a healthy environment that trickles down to personal health. By accident, I partnered up with honey bees for the last 15 years with a focus on learning and management strategies that compliments the bees natural history. Bees are amazing as there will never, I believe, be a time we can not learn new things from them. Research and education is the cornerstone for moving forward to sustainable apiculture practices. All it takes is a curious mind and a will to learn from the bees. The bees know best.
Chelsea Prangnell – Corporate Administrator
More information coming soon.
Wendi Gilson – Instructional Coordinator
I love teaching people about amazing Apis mellifera and beekeeping. I love the amazement and eagerness the students have. I am a certified Bee Master (UBC 2014) and a Regional Apiary Inspector for the BC Ministry of Agriculture. I have been running my own small scale apiary – Black Horse Apiary – since 2011, and keeping bees for years before that. I am a promoter of healthy bees and a member of CAPA (Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists) and have participated in contract field work for the National bee disease Centre.
Lucie Wendling – Intern
This spring, I finished my degree in Agricultural and Environmental Science, specializing in ecosystem ecology. I have always been a passionate steward for the environment, but it was my time at university that allowed me to realize my passion for food systems. I now know that I want to work towards food system reform, furthering sustainable agriculture practices locally and globally. I am so excited to be working with Ensure Hive Future towards that goal. As an intern with Ensure Hive Future, I am spending time researching the incredible creatures that control our food systems through pollination, while educating the public on what I am most passionate about.
Jessica Mayes – Intern
Originally from Manitoba, I grew up farming and worked with agriculture research organizations. My background contributed to my passion for sustainable agriculture and my interest in how farming practices and food systems can lead to a better future. I just finished my Agriculture and Environmental Science degree at McGill and I’m excited to gain more practical skills and knowledge in this field. New to beekeeping, I’m learning lots during this internship and I’m gaining even more appreciation for bees. My role with Ensure Hive Future is to support our research objectives through field work and contribute to community engagement.