New Partner supports TWS members and pollinator health

As a new TWS Premier Partner, Bayer Bee Care will help the Society foster an innovative conservation program and stimulate an increase in suitable pollinator habitat.

As part of the program, Bayer Bee Care will provide up to 60,000 wildflower packets to TWS members at the Society’s Annual Conference, chapter and section meetings and student conclaves throughout the year — at no cost — to plant in their yards and fields to increase bee forage acreage. The Bayer Pollinator Wildflower mix packets are part of their Feed a Bee initiative, which sought to grow 50 million wildflowers last year.

“In addition to providing financial support for TWS member benefits that support the work of wildlife professionals, Bayer Bee Care is working on pollinator health solutions around the world in Germany, Canada, Chile and the United States,” said Ed Thompson, TWS chief operating officer. “Their science-based approach to pollinator conservation is in alignment with the Society’s approach to wildlife conservation efforts.”

Bayer Bee Care has been working to promote honey bee health for more than 25 years. The program fosters discussion and sharing of ideas with beekeepers, government agencies and others, provides products to combat bee diseases through an increased focus on research and development, works to develop new technology and support stewardship, and collaborates with universities and researchers to find sustainable solutions for bee health issues. Bayer Bee Care and TWS both recognize that pollinators are essential to agriculture as well as urban and rural landscapes, making these creatures critical to the future of the world’s food supply.

“Bees and other pollinators play a vital role in contributing to the outdoor landscapes that TWS members work so hard to protect and preserve,” said Ken Williams, TWS chief executive officer. “As an organization committed to sustaining wildlife populations and habitats, TWS is partnering with the Feed a Bee program to help combat one of the leading challenges facing honey bees today — lack of forage.”

TWS will help Bayer Bee Care reach an extensive network of wildlife and natural resources scientists through its own publications and communication channels, such as the eWildlifer, The Wildlife Professional magazine and the Annual Conference to promote dialogue and interaction on bee health research and initiatives.

“Bayer’s mission is ‘Science for a Better Life,’ so we are very excited to partner with a premiere scientific organization such as The Wildlife Society. By working together, the two organizations will be able to share science-based information and provide additional forage and nutrition across the United States that will help pollinators thrive,” said Dr. Becky Langer-Curry, project manager for Bayer Bee Care and TWS member.