Beekeeping & Pollinator Programs in Prisons

Beekeeping association partners, staff from every prison, incarcerated beekeepers, and the SPP team from Evergreen came together for an inspirational day-long beekeeping summit at WCCW. Photo by Ricky Osborne.

Beekeeping was a part of SPP programming from the beginning. Three prisons kept honeybees starting in the early-to-mid 2000s and continue to this day. A new wave of interest in beekeeping came with former SPP Co-Director, Steve Sinclair, and his enthusiasm for beekeeping was echoed by plans to start new programs across the state. In March 2017, SPP beekeeping partners came together for a full-day a beekeeping summit at Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW). Nearly every facility was represented and we were joined by Washington State Beekeepers Association (WASBA) leadership, local beekeeping clubs, and state agency pollinator enthusiasts and experts; the event further catalyzed a beekeeping boom: in the summer of 2018, barely a year later, 11 of Washington’s 12 prisons hosted beekeeping programs! There are even a few extras… more details here. As of Spring 2026, 9 of the 10 Washington Prisons have active beekeeping programs.

Beekeeping Education

The first class of incarcerated Journeyman beekeepers in the state pose at their graduation ceremony. Photo courtesy of AHCC.

Following Cedar Creek Corrections Center’s lead, every new and long-time program now includes formal beekeeping education and certification. As of October 2025, 581 incarcerated individuals have become WASBA-certified beginner beekeepers! Local beekeeping experts give their time to instruct these classes and guide field work, and we cannot thank them enough. Some of these folks volunteer independently; for those who represent organizations we also thank:

Only a few months after being introduced to honeybees, this beekeeper from Cedar Creek Corrections Center shows happy confidence as he handles a full frame. Photo by Laurie Pyne, McNeil Island program coordinator.

Over the years, several programs have taken on new challenges: raising queen bees, experimenting with different types of hives, and working toward the Craftsman-level certification (a level WASBA created specifically for beekeepers in prison). As of 2025, 7 incarcerated beekeepers have reached Journeyman level certification. This certification level wouldn’t be possible with the team of 15 beekeepers at AHCC. This team of beekeepers helped create the first draft of the journeyman manual that WASBA now uses state-wide!

Guidance on how to run these programs is available in SPP’s Beekeeping Guide. More about the basics on beekeeping programs, guidance on bee safety, and cool facts about honeybees on this page!

Contributing to these unprecedented successes, every bee program is supported by pollinator plantings. Honeybees and other pollinators have access to pesticide-free flowers for their nectar and pollen. Programs are both beautiful and productive!

What do they do with the honey?

With the support of DOC’s leadership and ethics team, SPP cleared the way for prisons to have the option to donate honey to WASBA for their annual conference auction. WCCW was the first facility to pilot this option and successfully donated honey in 2024. Building on this success, in 2025, both CRCC and SCCC donated honey for WASBA’s annual conference and auction. CRCC donated twelve 8-ounce jars of honey, which sold for $240, while Stafford Creek donated one gallon of honey that sold for $130. Additionally, WCCW donated a quilt, which was sold for $300. All proceeds from the honey and quilt to support beekeeping programs in prisons. Other facilities report gifting honey to volunteers and visitors.

WASBA Facility of the Year Award

WASBA’s “Facility of the Year” award was established in 2023 to recognize a prison for going above and beyond to support beekeeping programs. In 2025, Coyote Ridge Corrections Center won this prestigious award. Partners will celebrate this achievement in 2026. Past winners include SCCC in 2023 and WCCW in 2024. To read the nomination, please check out the Awards & Accolades page on WASBA’s website.