[Pollinator] P2 Media Release: Burt's Bees Mobilizes America's Farms for Honey Bees

Wed May 20 10:33:23 PDT 2015

[image: MEDIA RELEASE][image: Pollinator_notag]

*May 20, 2015*

*For Immediate Release*

          Tom Van Arsdall tva at pollinator.org 703.509.4746

Mary Byrne mb at pollinator.org 415.362.1137

          Laurie Davies Adams LDA at pollinator.org 415.362.1137

*Burt’s Bees Mobilizes America’s Farms for Honey Bees  *

Burt’s Bees, through its The Greater Good Foundation, joined forces with
the Pollinator Partnership to launch the United States Bee Buffer Project.
The project’s goal is to establish critical honey bee forage throughout the
country, and, after participating in the White House Stakeholder Panel on
pollinator health, plans to impact over 6,000 acres over the next year. The
U.S. Bee Buffer Project began enrolling farms across California and North
Carolina to plant bee buffers in late 2014 with an overwhelming number of
applications from both states; the goal of 6,000 acres of influence was
reached as soon as the application portal was opened, with calls from
virtually every other state wanting to have the program as well!

The inaugural seed distribution reached 200 bee buffers across both states.
The bee buffers have been planted in all types of agricultural settings;
ranches, vegetable farms, orchards, tree farms, apiaries, and others.

Why plant bee buffers for honey bees? Honey bees are valuable to crops and
the nation’s economy, contributing approximately $15 billion to the U.S.
economy each year, they have trouble finding food – contributing to a 31.3
percent U.S. bee population decline from 2012 to 2013. Providing foraging
habitat for honey bees is essential to our food systems and health. The bee
buffer program is trialing 8 different honey bee forage mixes, collecting
visitation data, and will be able to make science-based planting
recommendations to others interested in planting bee buffers.

Beginning in June a small army of field researchers will be visiting the
bee buffers to collect data about honey bee visitation and interview the
participants. The goal is to understand what is working, and what can be
improved for next year.

Quotes:

“Bees are the unsung heroes behind America’s agriculture. Planting a bee
nectar bar on our property is our way of thanking the bees and creating
sustainable beekeeping practices for Bee and Bounty Honey Co.  Thanks to
the support from the U.S. Bee Buffer Program we were able to sow a large
habitat of native wildflowers, a much needed buffer among the hundreds of
acres of vineyards surrounding our property,” said Kris Koolman, Bee &
Bounty Honey Co., U.S. Bee Buffer Project participant.

“In 2012, Burt’s Bees set a 2020 Sustainability Goal to create honeybee
forage sites, and impact 10,000 acres through partnerships dedicated to
promoting human and honeybee health. Aided by the expertise of Pollinator
Partnership, the United States Bee Buffer Project is a powerful step
forward to help pollinators, while supporting agriculture in our home state
and beyond,” said Paula Alexander, Burt’s Bees Director of Sustainable
Business & Innovation.

“The response was simply unbelievable! We had so many applications from
people wanting to plant a bee buffer, it was encouraging to know that there
is a demand for this kind of project but, it was hard to turn people away.
We simply didn’t have enough seed to handle the requests!” said Mary Byrne,
P2 Plant Ecologist, U.S. Bee Buffer Project Manager.

“Burt’s Bees has shown incredible leadership with this project. The honey
bee community, agriculture, and pollinators will benefit from this project
– it truly provides exactly the right supports at the right moment in
time,” said Laurie Davies Adams, P2 Executive Director.  “This
collaborative effort is especially timely, as it compliments and supports
the White House Pollinator Health Task Force’s *National Strategy to
Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators*, released on
Tuesday, May 19, 2015.”

###

Pollinator Week 2015 is right around the corner from June 15-21! What are
you doing? That’s easy! Add your pollinator garden to the national SHARE
map and hold a pollinator event! www.pollinator.org

ABOUT THE POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP (P2)

Established in 1997, the Pollinator Partnership is the largest 501(c) 3
non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the health, protection,
and conservation of all pollinating animals. Pollinator Partnership’s
actions for pollinators include education, conservation, restoration,
policy, and research.  P2’s financial support comes through grants, gifts,
memberships and donations from any interested party.  Its policies are
science-based, set by its board of directors, and never influenced by any
donor.  To make a donation or for information on events during Pollinator
Week visit www.pollinator.org.

Kelly Rourke

Program Associate

Pollinator Partnership

423 Washington Street, 5th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94111

e:  kr at pollinator.org

w: www.pollinator.org

p: 415.362.1137
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