There is definitely something abuzz at Bauer Park. Through the work of a number of volunteers and organizations, a new project is bringing bee hives to Bauer to help the area’s ecology and to assist in keeping these critical insects propagating and performing their role as pollinators.

Many people are aware that bees in America have suffered a drastic decline in the past two decades. A number of factors seem to have a part in the decline, including pesticide use, loss of habitat, and diseases that may or may not be compounded by human actions, according to numerous organizations.

In fact, the data from 2020-’21 reports a more than 45 percent decline in “managed honey bee colonies,” according to preliminary results of the 15th annual nationwide survey conducted by the nonprofit Bee Informed Partnership (BIP). That number is the second largest recorded percentage loss since 2006, according to BIP.

But the folks at Bauer Park are fighting back with the installation of several bee hives on the property. According to the Bauer Park Advisory Committee, members of the Garden Club of Madison, numerous other volunteers, and two backyard beekeepers (Lewis Strauss and Deirdre Prisco) met a truck coming back from a 17-hour round-trip to Georgia to pick up two, three-pound packages of honey bees with two queens and 25,000 worker bees.

The committee singled out the efforts of key volunteersm including Bauer Advisory Committee Chair Ted Rahman, Madison Beach & Recreation Department Buildings and Grounds staff for installing the split rail fence, retired art teacher Katie Kindilien who with Prisco painted the hives, and the Garden Club of Madison, which assisted in financing the bees and hives with a $1,000 donation.

Rahman said the committee has long wanted bee hives at the park, and the members are extremely excited about the project finally reaching its goal.

“The bee population, as most folks know, has been on the decline. And Bauer Park has a lot of area, and a lot of plants among the community gardens. The bees are essential for pollination and survival of a number of species, so this is one of the important issues for us. It will hopefully help pollinate the whole area,” said Rahman. “We have been trying to get bee hives down here for quite a while, a number of years, and finally had folks step forward to do it, and the committee really wants to see this go. So we encourage folks to come out and learn about the project, and how they can help the effort too.”

The public is invited to Bauer Park on World Bee Day, Friday, May, 20 from 3 to 6 p.m. The event coincides with World Bee Day on Friday, May 20. There will be an open-hive demo at 4:30 p.m. and a chance to meet beekeepers Strauss and Prisco and find out more about how to help pollinators. The rain date is Saturday, May 21.

The Bauer Park Committee is always in search of volunteers for various projects and events. Those interested can contact the Beach & Recreation Department at 203-245-5623 for more information on how to volunteer.