CITIZEN SCIENCE SUMMARY REPORTS

This three-year community project represents an important collaboration between citizen scientists of the Thompson-Shuswap Master Gardeners, the general public, Thompson Rivers University, and Big Little Science.

The project provided important data regarding the abundance of pollinators in the Kamloops area during the summers of 2017- 2019. It was initiated by the Master Gardeners because of the lack of information surrounding native bee abundance and diversity here.

The citizen science project revealed that Kamloops gardens and parks are visited by pollinators from many different functional groups: bumble bees, native ground nesting bees and cavity nesting bees as well as wasps, flies and non-native honey bees.

CITIZEN SCIENCE SUMMARY REPORT 2017
This project – which represents an important community collaboration between citizen scientists of the Thompson-Shuswap Master Gardeners, Thompson Rivers University, and Big Little Science Center – has provided important data regarding the abundance of pollinators in Kamloops during the summer of 2017. 

CITIZEN SCIENCE SUMMARY REPORT 2018
This project gathered important information regarding pollinator abundance and diversity in a variety of habitats around Kamloops. It also served as an important collaboration between experts and citizen scientists within the community. Engagement to this degree provides a holistic approach to topical environmental issues. Involving individuals at many different levels of experience is vital to finding realistic and effective solutions to loss of pollinators worldwide. Citizen scientists’ understanding and awareness of native bees makes them excellent ambassadors for these important creatures.

CITIZEN SCIENCE SUMMARY REPORT 2019
The data collected over the past three years clearly indicate that Kamloops is home to a diverse mix of pollinators. The lack of information surrounding native bee abundance and diversity has often meant that honeybees become the focus of municipal policy aimed at maintaining or increasing pollination services. This project revealed that Kamloops gardens are visited by many pollinators from many different functional groups. There is also a high diversity of bumble bees located in our area. The author believed that the preservation and creation of habitat for hairy belly bees (cavity nesting bees) and pollen pants bees (ground nesting bees) within city parks should be a top priority.