Did you know that bees are responsible for pollinating roughly one-third of all food we consume, as well as 80% of the world’s flowering plants? Bees are essential to the health and prosperity of countless ecosystems around the world. Because of this, bees also are the foundation for human survival. Unfortunately, these little buzzing creatures are at risk, with more than half of North America’s 4,000 native bee species in decline and a quarter of bee species at risk of extinction.
Here at the Pensacola International Airport, we try to be more than your local hometown airport—we strive to be good neighbors to all, humans and insects alike. That’s why we were thrilled to begin our partnership with the Escarosa Beekeepers Association (EBA) several years ago and do our part to support our hardworking, winged friends.
The EBA manages and maintains four bee hives on airport property. Through the group’s Citizen Scientist Program, they also monitor the bees and the apiary with digital sensors in order to determine new ways to help the honey bee population.
Shelby Johnson of the EBA says, “We are enormously grateful to the City of Pensacola for allowing the Escarosa Beekeepers Club to use its buffer zone land to care for these precious pollinators.”
Beyond the environmental benefits of supporting bees in their natural environments, the EBA also serves as a critical community education program—connecting with more than 1,000 fellow beekeepers and community members in 2023 alone to share important knowledge on protecting our buzzy friends and supporting local honey-growing efforts.
We are so grateful to the EBA for its vital work protecting our bees! You can learn more about their work and how to get involved at https://escarosabee.org/.
If you or your group are interested in participating in an apiary tour, please contact Shelby Johnson with the EBA at 850.698.6419 (advance notice required).
