The staff team behind the UC Davis Bee Haven restoration has earned an honorable mention in the university’s 2026 Citation of Excellence team category. The recognition highlights work to rebuild irrigation, organize plant care and improve public learning at the half-acre pollinator demonstration garden.
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources reported the recognition Oct. 27. The five-member team includes Kian Nikzad, Samantha “Sam” Murray, Wendy Mather, Joseph Tauzer and Matthew Hoepfinger. They work in the lab of bee scientist Elina Niño, a UC Davis professor and Cooperative Extension apiculture specialist who directs Bee Haven.
Irrigation and plant care
According to the award nomination, restoration began in July 2024 after an employee departure. The nominators described invasive weeds, declining plants, unpruned vegetation and a failed irrigation system, along with damage involving gophers and squirrels.
The nomination credits the team’s efforts with securing a $30,000 donor gift for a new irrigation system. Staff installed four watering zones to serve the garden’s varied plants. Nominators reported stronger foliage, flowering and pollinator activity following the work, though those observations were not presented as measured research results.
The team also created an inventory covering 200 native plants to support pruning schedules tailored to individual plants. That work paired the irrigation replacement with a more organized approach to ongoing garden maintenance.
Self-guided learning
For visitors, staff updated the website and garden signs with plant information and QR-linked video and audio resources. The nomination also described a comprehensive self-guided video tour under development for people visiting either in person or online.
Bee Haven sits beside the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility on Bee Biology Road in Davis. It is open daily from dawn to dusk with free admission. Alongside its public education role, the garden provides opportunities for UC Davis faculty, staff and students to conduct research, according to the nomination.
