The mānuka honey industry is booming – but how many hives can the landscape sustain?
Scientists and Māori agribusiness have teamed up to learn more about mānuka DNA variation, beehive stocking rates, and honey bee food resources in a 5-year project that sets out to answer these questions and best maximise this opportunity.
Dr Gary Houliston is leading the Manaaki Whenua component of The Honey Landscape project, which aims to create a comprehensive model of New Zealand’s native honey landscape, blending science and tikanga Maori. Researchers have been working with Māori landowners to collect leaf samples from natural mānuka stands, extract the DNA, and analyse the data.