Request for Quote Impacts of hazard reduction burns on Honey Bees – What do we know and where to next?

⁠⁠⁠AgriFutures Australia Honey Bee and Pollination Program is seeking services of an individual or organisation to undertake an assessment of of hazard reduction burns and how these may affect honey bees and provide a literature review of these affects. A review of the available scientific studies will arm the industry with consolidated, evidence based information to inform comment and the industry’s position on hazard reduction burns.

The honey bee industry plays a pivotal role in Australian agriculture. The industry is responsible for honey production, and paid pollination services that benefits other agricultural industries. AgriFutures Australia’s research shows the honey bee industry comprises of approximately 1,800 commercial beekeepers who produce 30,000 tonnes of honey each year, and provide an overwhelming majority of the 530,000 hives used for paid pollination services. Access to native floral resources on private and public lands for commercial beekeepers is essential for honey production and building hive strength for provision of pollination services. However, hazard reduction burns of floral resources pose a threat to hives, the ability of floral resources to support hives, and utilisation of floral resources to produce honey.

This project will provide AgriFutures Australia with a detailed literature review of scientific studies conducted on the intensity and frequency of hazard reduction burns, and its impact on floral resources. This will include a review of these effects on honey bees, honey production and provision of pollination services. Extrapolation would be considered appropriate, if required, but must maintain scientific rigour. Knowledge gaps identified by the literature review be developed to prioritise future research direction.

Background

The summer of 2019/2020 saw unprecedented fires across the South East of Australia. These fires may see a reinvigorated call for hazard reduction burns across floral resources in Australia, this could pose a threat to the floral resources relied on by the commercial beekeeping industry. It is important that the industry is well informed and is in a position to provide evidence based comment on the possible impact of these hazard reduction burns on honey bees, honey production and honey bee businesses..

The industry requires an understanding of research that has been conducted on the frequency and intensity of hazard reduction burns on floral resources, and the impacts on bees and beekeeping businesses. This information needs to be in a centralised location to allow for easy access by the industry. Access to a consolidation of this information will enable the industry to provide comment to inform decision makers regarding changes to management of floral resources and it’s impact on one of Australia’s most important services, pollination.

Project Requirements
Desktop based research to:

• Examine the impact of the frequency and intensity of hazard reduction burns on floral resources.
• Examine, or extrapolate, the impact of the frequency and intensity of hazard reduction burns on honey bees, honey production and provision of pollination services.
• Develop a list of topics that are well understood regarding the impacts of hazard reduction burns, and what areas require further research.
• Provide a cost and/or impact analysis of hazard reduction burns for beekeepers, including the development of case studies that cover the breadth of hazard reduction burns and impacts on beekeepers e.g. cool versus hot burns.

Project deliverables

• A literature review will form the basis of the final deliverable and should consolidate available scientific studies to provide information that will be utilised as a key resource for industry and government.
• Report to include a list of what topics require further research.
• Report to include cost and/or impact analysis and case studies.
• Project summary document with implications and recommendations for the industry to consider.

• Provide individuals and industry with a report that can be utilised for making business decisions, to identify research needs, and as a resource for the industry and decision makers.

Individuals or organisations making a submission are required to have an understanding of hazard reduction burns and how a loss of floral resources can impact honey bees and honey production. This individual or organisation may include a composition of a hazard reduction specialist and a honey bee specialist.

Timeline
Date                Activity

14 May 2021  RFQ application open

16 June 2021  RFQ applications close

14 July 2021   Expected execution of contract or issue of agreement

15 June 2022  Expected project completion date

AgriFutures Australia believes that the project should be completed within 12 months. If a longer timeframe is required, the Tenderer should explain why that is the case.

The anticipated budget for this project is $100,000. If additional funds are required, the Tenderer should explain why that is the case.

Submitting an application

AgriFutures Australia has moved to a new online project management system, K2. This system will manage all stages of project administration and replaces our previous system, Clarity.

Applications for this Request for Quotation must be submitted online using the RFQ application in K2.

If you had a previous account in Clarity, you can login using your Clarity username or email address and the initial password “K2pass!”<