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The Pollinator Partnership today announced a disaster relief campaign designed to provide immediate assistance to help beekeepers on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) recover from the devastating impacts of recent hurricanes.   

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“When we first learned about the desperate challenges faced by these Caribbean beekeepers, we moved quickly to help,” said Val Dolcini, President and CEO of the Pollinator Partnership, which is spearheading the campaign.  “We are gratified by the tremendous response and are pleased to report that the first relief package of protein patties landed on Puerto Rico earlier this week and is now being delivered to beekeepers.  Relief will also reach the US Virgin Islands soon.”

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The hurricanes resulted in colony losses of up to 80% as most of the Langstroth wooden hives used by beekeepers to house their bees were destroyed. In addition, natural tree cavities housing feral bees were also destroyed due to the hurricane’s damaging winds.  Bees that survived the hurricanes and the destruction of their homes have swarmed, taking up residence in houses, schools, electrical utility poles and other structures, creating health and safety concerns.

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Surviving bees are in danger of starving as Hurricanes Maria and Irma stripped the islands of their floral resources, effectively denying that critical nutritional resource to these "natural farmers."  Without these plant-based pollen sources, surviving colonies are at risk of collapsing.  Beekeepers are working hard to recover, but they are in desperate need of help to secure both supplemental protein sources and replacement Langstroth hives to house their bees.  Commercially produced protein sources used by beekeepers in the continental U.S. are unavailable on the islands. 

 

"The self-initiative and determination of Puerto Rico and US Virgin Island beekeepers combined with the solidarity and generous support being shown by donors leads us to have a hopeful outlook,” says Tugrul Giray, professor and Coordinator of Apiculture Industry at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, in San Juan.  “We believe that with this support we will be able to remedy the immediate critical situation being faced by beekeepers, bees and other pollinators as well as looking forward to building a healthy future for pollinators in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.”

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In addition to generous financial and in-kind contributions, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched at https://www.gofundme.com/fund-for-puerto-rico039s-pollinators to give citizens, beekeepers, and others the opportunity to help.

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Blue Diamond Growers has also pledged to match the next $5,000 in GoFundMe donations, doubling the contributions of future supporters.

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“California almond growers count on healthy bee populations for healthy crops,” said Alicia Rockwell, Director of Public Affairs for Blue Diamond Growers. “By investing in the Caribbean Bee Rescue Campaign, Blue Diamond extends its commitment to help bees all over the world survive and thrive.”

   CARIBBEAN BEE RESCUE CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED

 

For Immediate Release

October 27, 2017

Tom Van Arsdall  TVA@pollinator.org 703.509.4746

Naked Landscape, No Food for Pollinators !!
Dr. Tugrul Giray

Additional Background

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The Caribbean Bee Rescue Campaign seeks to help pollinators by:

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  1. Providing immediate relief and support for PR and USVI beekeepers;

  2. Raising funds ($50,000 goal) to purchase and deliver supplemental protein for 3,000 hives and 1,000 replacement hives over the next six months, while the ecosystems and floral resources recover.

  3. Helping strengthen beekeeping and pollination services on the islands.

  4. Assessing the impacts of the hurricanes on the islands’ other pollinating species to determine how help can be provided.  

 

Other founding partners in this growing private-public collaboration are the American Beekeeping Federation; American Honey Producers Association; Bayer CropScience LP; Blue Diamond Growers; Dadant and Sons; DuPont; Florida State Beekeepers Association; Honey Bee Health Coalition; Mann Lake Ltd; Monsanto; National Honey Board; Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture; Sweet Virginia Foundation; Syngenta and Puerto Rico Agricultural Biotechnology Industry Association (PRABIA); the University of Puerto Rico, Department of Biology; and Wonderful Bees.

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Hurricanes have devastated Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (USVI), crippling infrastructure, along with access to electricity, water, and other basic necessities.   Agriculture was decimated, too.  Cropland, family farms, and food systems were largely destroyed, and nearly $780 million in crop losses have been recorded so far on Puerto Rico alone.  

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Bees on Puerto Rico and the USVI have been hit just as hard. The islands’ beekeepers are essential to local agriculture and specialty crops on the islands.  On Puerto Rico, fewer than 150 beekeepers provide 7% of the honey consumed on the island, and these men and women maintain an estimated 4,000 domestic hives.  On the USVI about a dozen beekeepers manage about 800 hives.  From pineapples to coffee to countless fruits and vegetables, honeybees and other pollinators are the key to the recovery of agriculture on the islands.

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ABOUT THE POLLINATOR PARTNERSHIP (P2) 

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Established in 1997, P2, a 501(c)3 headquartered in San Francisco, California, was incorporated in 1997.  P2’s mission is to promote the health of pollinators, critical to food and ecosystems, through conservation, education, and research.  Visit www.pollinator.org for more information.

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