Urbanism, Climate Adaption and Health

Participant Information Sheet

Sustainable cities, food and health:

Urban beekeepers the Australian honeybee sector

Who am I?

My name is Dr. Ferne Edwards and I am a researcher at RMIT University, Melbourne. I am a cultural anthropologist with over ten years experience studying food and agriculture, cities, and sustainability.

What am I doing?

I am conducting this research to examine the role of beekeepers and their contribution to urban food systems, health, and environmental sustainability. I’ll be speaking with up to forty amateur beekeepers, key experts and stakeholders to examine the history, politics and current state of the amateur and commercial honeybee sector in Australia. This project draws on and extends from earlier research conducted in western Sydney by Jane Dixon and myself at the Australian National University for the CSIRO’s ‘Urbanism, Climate Adaptation and Health’ collaboration cluster. This new research project is independent from the earlier study, is not funded by or associated with, any commercial company, nor is associated with any other external agency or group.

Why am I conducting this research?

More than half the world’s population now live in cities and cities are where the majority of resource consumption and pollution occurs. However, many believe that cities can contribute to both food security and environmental sustainability by becoming both food consumptive and productive sites. Honeybees play an essential role in our food system, not only by producing honey and beeswax, but also pollinating a vast number of food crops. This project seeks to examine the impact of honeybees and their keepers in Australian cities – to explore how their practices and approaches differ to commercial beekeepers, and how through their location, practices and perspectives, they contribute to urban agriculture, health and sustainability.

I want you to be involved in this research

In order to develop a fuller understanding of the role of amateur beekeepers and the current state of Australian honeybee sector, I would like to interview amateur beekeepers, stakeholders and experts, as well as key community and government representatives in the Australian honeybee sector. I will be conducting interviews in Melbourne and Sydney throughout 2015. Interviews last approximately an hour and will be held at a location and time that is convenient for you. With your permission I would like to audio-record the interview that I will later transcribe for subsequent analysis. Participation in the study is entirely voluntary and there will be no adverse consequences should you decide not to participate or withdraw from participation at any stage.

You have been identified as a potential participant based on your specific knowledge and expertise relating to the honeybee sector. If you would like to take part in the study you will first need to sign a consent form. Please read this information sheet carefully and be confident that you understand its contents before deciding whether to participate and provide signed consent. If you have any questions about the project, please don’t hesitate to ask me.

In the interview I will be asking questions relating to the state of the honeybee sector in Melbourne or Sydney, including about your current beekeeping practices (if you are a beekeeper), your opinions and experiences on the current state and previous changes in this sector, and possible agricultural, environmental and health outcomes pertaining to the honeybee sector on food systems. Whilst I have some guiding questions, I am seeking your broad views to gain insight into this topic of research. That is to say, rather than ask a series of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions, I have a few ‘open-ended’ questions that you can respond to in as much detail as you like. In some cases I may also ask your permission to take photographs of the interview. After the interview, I will send you a written interview transcript (or the photograph) in order for you to review what you have said and to retract or add any comments (or images).

Project outputs

The information I gather will be used for academic publications, conference presentations, and possibly a book. It may be used now and into the future. The names and position title of individuals will not be used in relation to any of the information collected during interviews, unless participants have explicitly indicated that they are willing to be identified. The results of this research will be made available upon request.

Benefits and risks of participating

By participating in this research you will be contributing to a better understanding of the current state of the honeybee sector in Australia. You will also be filling a gap in knowledge about the role of amateur beekeepers in cities that through the dispersion of this knowledge could support greater social cohesion and environmental sustainability in urban spaces. The interviews are not intended to elicit any information that is confidential or sensitive in nature. You may refuse to answer any given question without consequence. Should you have any further concerns about confidentiality and anonymity, please raise the issue prior to or during the course of the interview so that assurances can be made that specific information is not reported or published.

Data management

The information collected from this study will be reported in a way that ensures anonymity unless you request otherwise on the attached consent form. To ensure anonymity, data will be safely stored for five years after publication. Also, pseudonyms will be used in publications – unless you wish to be identified by name in these forums. Any information that you provide can be disclosed only if (1) it is to protect you or others from harm, (2) if specifically required or allowed by law, or (3) you provide the researchers with written permission. The data may be used now and into the future. Once again, you are free to withdraw from actively participating in the research at any time up to the point at which interview material is processed or incorporated in publications. You may also request that the information gathered as a result of your participation be removed from my records.

If you have any questions about the conduct of this study or need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me:

Dr. Ferne Edwards, Researcher, Centre for Applied Social Research (CASR), RMIT University

Email: .