The Online Pollinator Stewardship Program is a practical, hands-on course with participants learning online and working on real-world projects covering topics such as pollinator identification and monitoring, habitat creation, managed and wild pollination services and pollination impact.

The program has been adapted from a successful US program and co-designed with Australian scientists and Indigenous co-creators to suit local landscapes and communities.

The Online Pollinator Stewardship Program is offered by the Wheen Bee Foundation, and CEO Fiona Chambers says it provides essential knowledge to anyone interested in pollinators.

“The program is the first of its kind in Australia,” Ms Chambers says. “Participants will gain a deeper understanding of pollinators and acquire the skills to adopt climate-smart, sustainable agricultural and land management practices.

“It’s ideal for land managers, educators, agriculture students, beekeepers and gardeners — anyone with an interest in pollinators.”

The program features eight online modules and weekly live virtual tutorials hosted by subject-matter experts. It also includes an Indigenous module focused on knowledge and practices related to pollinator conservation, developed in collaboration with Indigenous Australians.

At the end of the program, participants will complete either a sustainability project, such as developing or restoring pollinator habitats, or an education project, to raise awareness of threats to pollinators and encourage community action.

A pilot program is being run from February 4 to March 31, and it’s free to enrol with a limited number of places available.

Following the pilot, the Online Pollinator Stewardship Program will be open to the public at a fee, with the full course opening on May 6.

Valued at $500, the subsidised program will cost $129 to enrol and graduates will receive a certificate on completion to recognise their status as a certified pollinator steward.

“This gives people the opportunity to improve their capacity and capabilities in supporting pollinators,” Ms Chambers says. “The credential also demonstrates to employers or customers that they have developed a holistic understanding of pollinators, firmly based on science.”

The Online Pollinator Stewardship Program is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust.

Find out more or register for the program here www.wheenbeefoundation.org.au/online-pollinator-stewardship-program