Exploring human–pollinator relationships: Synergies between beekeeping and wild pollinator conservation

Abstract

Beekeepers are at the front line of understanding pollinator health. While both wild pollinator conservation and beekeeping are essential to natural and managed ecosystems, their objectives can diverge, particularly when the honeybee is viewed as central rather than part of a broader pollinator community. Beekeepers' values for managed and wild pollinators can help understanding their engagement with conservation and solving emerging conflicts. We carried out in-depth interviews with 40 beekeepers in North-East Italy, including 20 commercial and 20 hobbyist, investigating their risk perception regarding the honeybees’ health, values for pollinators and willingness to protect wild pollinators. Although commercial and hobbyist beekeepers managed their operations differently, they shared the same concerns and values for pollinators. Respondents started beekeeping driven by interest or through connections with friends or family members and the vast majority considered their activity beneficial to local residents. Both commercial and hobbyist beekeepers expressed concern about climate-change and held strong relational values for the honeybee, supporting the importance of integrating relational values, such as stewardship and identity, when studying human-nature connections. Actions to conserve wild pollinators received a higher support when beneficial for the honeybee too, while specific actions targeting only wild pollinators were less supported. However, commercial beekeepers holding high intrinsic values for wild pollinators were more likely to help them. Overall, we identified synergies and areas where potential conflicts between conservationists and beekeepers can emerge. As beekeepers represent a crucial stakeholder group, collaborations and dialogues among people who value wild pollinators are needed to effectively protect them.