Movement for conserving bees in the Western Ghats

High in the mist-covered forests of the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, a quiet yet powerful transformation is underway. While visitors are often drawn by the sanctuary’s spiritual significance or the chance to spot the Indian Giant Squirrel, an equally vital story is unfolding in the canopy led by the industrious Apis cerana indica, locally known as Sateri.

These native honeybees naturally seek out dark, sheltered spaces hollow trees, rock crevices, or undisturbed corners of the forest to build their homes. For generations, however, honey collection in these landscapes followed a destructive path. Wild hives were smoked out, entire honeycombs were harvested, and in the process, the brood future generations of bees was destroyed. Colonies were forced to abandon their habitats, disrupting not just bee populations but the delicate ecological balance they sustain.

Today, that story is changing.

Through AERF’s initiative, 20 community members now known as Bee Champions have been trained in sustainable beekeeping practices and provided with specially designed bee boxes. These boxes replicate the bees’ natural nesting conditions while protecting the brood and allowing colonies to thrive undisturbed. Instead of extraction, the approach now focuses on coexistence ensuring that bees remain in the landscape, continuously pollinating forest plants, fruit trees, and crops.

Inside these boxes, life hums with precision and purpose. A single queen lays up to 1,000 eggs a day, supported by a workforce of 25,000–30,000 worker bees that forage, produce honey, nurture larvae, and defend the hive. Drones exist only to mate, completing their life cycle in a single act. The colony functions as a perfectly synchronized system, maintaining a stable internal temperature of 32°C–35°C ideal for nurturing new life.

From October to February, the bees focus on building their colonies, gathering pollen, expanding their comb structures, and raising new generations. Worker bees create “bee bread,” a nutrient-rich mixture of pollen and nectar that sustains the larvae. To meet the colony’s annual needs, bees undertake nearly one million foraging trips, collecting up to 20 kg of pollen.

As the forest bursts into bloom between February and May, the bees shift gears. This is peak nectar season, when colonies begin producing honey in abundance. Even now, as you read this, these tiny workers are storing honey in preparation for the monsoon months ahead. A healthy colony of Apis cerana indica can produce 15–25 kg of honey annually, light in colour, delicate in flavour, and highly valued.

But this initiative is about far more than honey.

By supporting these Bee Champions, you are strengthening the ecological backbone of the sanctuary. Bees are primary pollinators, and their presence directly influences forest regeneration, crop yields, and biodiversity health. Their survival ensures the survival of countless plant and animal species making them silent guardians of this Sanctuary.

What makes this effort truly powerful is the people behind it. Community members have embraced sustainable methods, proving that conservation and livelihoods can go hand in hand. Each bee box installed is not just a tool for income it is a commitment to protecting nature.

Looking ahead, the vision is to expand this initiative to more villages such as Rajpur and Gadewadi training more women and youth to become custodians of their environment. Because every thriving hive is a step toward a resilient ecosystem, a stronger community, and a greener future.

Last year, the indigenous Mahadev Koli community living within the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary faced one of the most extreme and unpredictable weather patterns in recent memory. For generations, their lives have followed the rhythms of nature: summers dedicated to wild honey collection, pre- and post-monsoon months spent sowing and harvesting rice, and winters devoted to collecting Hirda (Terminalia chebula) mature fruits - still a primary source of income for many families.

As summer arrived, the community turned to their rich traditional knowledge to track bees, locate hives, and populate the bee boxes provided by AERF to promote sustainable honey harvesting. However, this time-tested wisdom was challenged by the unseen yet powerful force of climate change. Cloudy summer skies suddenly gave way to an early and prolonged monsoon. Disoriented by the unusual weather, bees abandoned their hives and relocated. The excessive rainfall damaged rice crops and caused Hirda flowers to fall prematurely, resulting in a poor fruit yield during winter.

What could have been a moment of despair instead became a turning point for action and resilience.

With the support of AERF, the community’s dedicated “Bee Champions” came together for an intensive four-day Beekeeping Training Workshop. The goal was not only to better understand the changing needs of bees, but also to explore new, sustainable livelihood opportunities beyond honey alone.

The training was held at the Jambhuldari Eco Lodge, nestled within lush forests alive with flowing streams, birdsong, butterflies, bees, and even giant squirrels, an ideal living classroom. Young and old alike participated, eager to learn and adapt.

Day One focused on understanding local traditional knowledge. Experts introduced participants to the different species of honey bees found in the sanctuary and explained how honey derived from single floral sources carries unique flavours. Community members sampled honey made from Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Jamun (Syzygium cumini), Hirda (Terminalia chebula), Kadu Neem (Azadirachta indica), and Ova (Trachyspermum ammi), while also learning about market demand, pricing, and sales opportunities.

Day Two opened new doors to value-added products. Participants learned to create items from beeswax such as candles, lip balms, and VapoRub-style balms. They also prepared Shira (a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast item made from semolina, sugar, milk and cardamom powder cooked in Ghee), sweetened with honey instead of sugar-demonstrating how honey can be integrated into everyday life and nutrition.

Day Three offered hands-on technical training. Participants learned about each component of a bee box, how it functions, and how to safely set one up. They practiced identifying and transferring a queen bee, managing worker and male bees, harvesting honey, filtering it, and bottling it for sale.

Day Four took learning into the forest. Guided by experts, participants tracked bees in the wild, located natural hives, and carefully transferred a queen bee into a managed bee box. As the colony followed, participants officially became caretakers of their own bee colonies, taking on a new responsibility and a renewed sense of ownership over their future.

A Hopeful Path Forward

This initiative is more than a training program; it is a lifeline. By blending traditional wisdom with modern ecological practices, the Mahadev Koli community is building resilience against climate uncertainty while protecting the forests they call home. Each bee box represents not just income, but food security, ecological balance, and dignity.

With continued support, these Bee Champions can expand sustainable beekeeping, create forest-friendly livelihoods, and inspire other communities facing similar challenges.