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Eagle Project Focuses on Dwindling Bee Population

As bee populations dwindle in some places around the United States, some Scouts like Zach Y. have taken notice.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, bee populations have dwindled in recent years as a result of something called Colony Collapse Disorder, a problem whose cause remains unknown.

Zach, who said he was “interested in bees before,” wanted to use his Eagle Scout project to help. “I know that the population has declined, so I thought it would be good to help the bee community,” he told the Highlands Ranch Herald.

Eagle Project Focuses on Dwindling Bee Population
Sandy Holcomb, Highlands Ranch Metro District Park Ranger, and Scout Zach Y. worked together on a native bee nesting project. (Photo credit: Highlands Ranch Herald)

The Herald shared the story of how Zach and his team worked to build housing structures that would provide bee colonies with protection. These nests have been designed to last for 30 years or more and can help to increase the bee population in the community.

Because of their role in pollination, bees are a vital part of the process for the growth of many crops, and helping to increase the bee population in a community can help local farmers and others.

To make sure that the project would be effective, Zach worked directly with local park ranger Sandy Holcomb, who had been a beekeeper for 10 years.

“We gave him the project and he had to modify it to be creative as well as provide something we were looking for,” she said. “He funded the project and had a crew ready to go.”

Zach recently received his Eagle Scout award, which helped him realize a goal he had set to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, who had also earned Eagle Scout.

Be sure to read the whole article about Zach’s project in the Highlands Ranch Herald.

To learn more about how Eagle Scouts like Zach impact their communities, see the Baylor University Study “Eagle Scouts: Merit Beyond the Badge.”

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