A bee hive. Photo from The Honeybee Conservancy / Facebook

Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation to sponsor bee hive
By Natalie Hand
Lakota Country Times Correspondent
www.lakotacountrytimes.com

Porcupine, South Dakota -- On December 30, 2015, Thunder Valley CDC was selected to sponsor a bee hive, through the Honeybee Conservancy.

The California-based Honeybee Conservancy is a non-profit organization developed to reduce/reverse the rapidly declining bee populations throughout the United States.

According to their website, the honeybee population saw a 42% decline in managed honeybee colonies in a 12 month period last year, which resulted in a $2 billion loss in the U.S. alone.

Honeybees serve a crucial role in the food system. There are nearly 100 commercial crops that require pollination. The bee die-off threatens the future of this food and would equate to a $15 billion dollar crop loss. Industry experts warn that this crisis could drive food prices up ten fold.

“With bees being a foundational insect to the production of a third of the world’s food, we have taken the initiative to sponsor a hive so they can help us regenerate a local food system here on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.” stated Nick Hernandez, Director of Thunder Valley’s Food Sovereignty program.

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The bee hive project, deemed “Buffalo Bees”, will allow Thunder Valley to advance education. The hives serve as a “science class in a box”, encouraging students to learn about science, ecology, agriculture, food sources, societal structure, and mutual cooperation.

Ultimately, the mission of the Honeybee Conservancy is to raise awareness about the importance of bees and to inspire communities, such as Thunder Valley, to act as stewards for bees and their natural environment.

Hernandez noted that they intend to harvest and sell the Buffalo Bees honey in the future. Thunder Valley CDC will receive their bee hives in March, 2016 and intend to house them in their community garden. For further information, visit their website at www.thundervalley.org.

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