Introduction
Location Map
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Database Schema
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Results
Conclusion
References

Apiculture in Ethiopia:

Habitat Restoration for the Endemic Honeybee Apis mellifera woyi-gambella

by Hannah Wilbur and Ben Wudtke

for NR505: Concepts in GIS Fall 2009

Apis mellifera woyi-gambella is a newly identified subspecies of honeybee that is thought to be endemic to the southeastern region of Ethiopia (Amssalu et al. 2004).  This area, like many others in Ethiopia, has been cleared of much of the natural habitat necessary for honeybee foraging.  Restoring this habitat will not only benefit the honeybees, but will increase production of honey from hives, in turn creating profit for families that would otherwise not have an income source.  By integrating information about range limits and climatic restrictions of the honeybees with landscape cover using geographic information systems, we were able to define areas in the Gambella and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s regions of Ethiopia that would be suitable for restoration of A. mellifera woyi-gambella habitat.