Rotary has been a leader in many life-changing projects. Consider the decades of effort invested in polio eradication and, more recently, the Operation Pollination movement to preserve habit, improve environmental health and restore food security.
Rotary inspires the public to actively participate in these worthwhile causes. Conversely, public participation inspires Rotarians to keep going.
Susie Beiersdorfer of Youngstown is an example. She is a self-described environmental activist and friend of Elayne Bozick of the Rotary Club of Youngstown. Susie is co-president of Treez Please, a nonprofit organization that has planted trees and established pollinator gardens in Youngstown. Last year, she helped to harvest more than 10,000 mason bee cocoons – that is, she sanitized the cocoons from mites and disease before the bees re-use them this year.
Treez Please received a loan of two bee houses from Curtiss King of Warren, who gave a third bee house for Susie’s use at home with one request: that she and Treez Please would watch the houses and help him to harvest cocoons. “Curtiss is committed to helping these pollinators survive and thrive,” Susie said. “These are non-stinging bees that are super pollinators. They are active in laying their eggs from April to June or there about.”
The Penn State Extension notes that two species of mason bees are being used on a limited basis for tree fruit pollination. One is the blue orchard bee, which also is being tested for commercial pollinations of almonds in California. The other is the Japanese orchard bee, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture introduced into Mid-Atlantic fruit orchards in the 1990s after it was used to pollinate most of Japan’s apple crop for 80 years. Other species contribute to commercial fruit pollination in parts of Europe, blueberry pollination in Maine, and raspberry pollination in Oregon. (An explanation of cocoon harvesting can be found on the Penn State Extension website.)
Susie also is on the adjunct faculty at Youngstown State University, where she teaches environmental geology. She looks forward to continuing to nurture mason bees in this year. Susie and Curtiss are reinforcing the message behind Operation Pollination: The aggregation of projects – big or small, by individuals or groups – produces meaningful results.
