Summary

The project will evaluate which types of public lands have management objectives compatible with access by managed European honeybees and those that do not have such objectives.
The different public land tenures in each State and Territory will be identified and the management objectives will be reviewed along with any policy documents relating more generally to the use of public land by apiarists. An evaluation will then be made of the compatibility of these management objectives with access by apiarists.
Phone interviews will be undertaken with each of the public land management agencies to determine how access arrangements are made and to identify the criteria which have been used as the basis for deciding whether apiarists should be allowed access or be excluded from particular areas.
There will be two project outputs:
A series of fact sheets that will provide apiarists in all States and Territories with a better understanding of the opportunities for accessing public lands and the processes required to do so.
A report for the industry which identifies the current status of public land access across Australia for managed European honeybees and the criteria on which land management agencies are basing their decisions about whether or not to provide access. This information will provide the industry with an understanding of the threats and opportunities relating to the future use of public land and will also form an important component of a readiness plan for a potential Varroa incursion.

Program

Honey Bee

Research Organisation

GHD Pty Ltd

Objective Summary

The major objective of the project is to evaluate which types of public lands have management objectives compatible with access by managed European honeybees and those that do not have such objectives.