We Speak for the Bees was founded from a belief that reverence for creation begins with paying attention — to the land, to the small creatures that sustain it, and to the quiet responsibilities entrusted to us.
Inspired by the original spirit of the Boy Scouts, we believe young people should be encouraged not only to explore the outdoors, but also to become thoughtful stewards of it. The principles of service, humility, and reverence remain as important today as ever. We hope to cultivate in young people a sense that the natural world is not merely a resource to consume, but a gift deserving gratitude, protection, and care.
Bees occupy a special place in that mission. Though small and often overlooked, they are essential to the flourishing of fields, forests, gardens, and communities. Their quiet labor reminds us that creation is deeply interconnected, and that even the smallest acts of stewardship matter.
At its heart, We Speak For the Bees exists to pursue the dual goals of involving young people in good stewardship and advancing the careful scientific study of honeybee populations. We seek to inspire youth not only to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the natural world, but also to accept responsibility for its care through service, observation, and scientific inquiry. By combining reverence for creation with the careful documentation of bee populations and colony health, we hope to cultivate new generations who are both scientifically capable and deeply mindful of their obligation to serve as good stewards of the natural world.
A central part of our mission is the careful observation and documentation of bee populations and colony health. Through field observation and open tools for data collection and mapping, we hope to better understand patterns of colony decline, environmental stress, parasites, and other threats facing pollinators. By encouraging young people to participate in this work, we seek not only to cultivate scientific literacy, but also to contribute meaningful information that may help identify and predict dangerous trends in colony losses before they become irreversible.
We believe that good stewardship requires both wonder and responsibility — the humility to appreciate creation, and the diligence to study and protect it wisely.
Leadership
Youth Founder
Life Scout, working toward the rank of Eagle
Gabriel Hudson is a third-generation beekeeper, who co-founded We Speak for the Bees with the vision of bringing together youth leadership, environmental stewardship, and scientific curiosity in service of protecting pollinators and encouraging conservation.
Scientific Advisor
Todd Hudson is a hobby beekeeper with a longstanding interest in applying rigorous scientific data analysis and cutting-edge computer vision technology to honeybee stewardship.
Drawing from expertise in scientific imaging and quantitative analysis, he is particularly interested in developing methods to document and track bee populations over time in order to identify patterns associated with environmental stress, disease, parasites, and colony decline. His interests include automated monitoring systems, behavioral tracking, and the use of imaging technology to support long-term conservation and research efforts.
As a Scientific Advisor to We Speak for the Bees, he supports the organization’s mission of combining youth involvement, stewardship, and scientific inquiry in service of honeybee conservation.