Bee Welfare 2.0: Long live the bee

Bee Welfare 2.0. Following the great success of the first half of 2020, we want to continue donating a portion of the proceeds from our Bee Welfare products to a good cause. Mellifera eV was delighted with €1,535.06; from July to December 2020, we'll be collecting the money for the Aurelia Foundation . Never heard of it? Then it's about time! The Aurelia Foundation is not only actively committed to bee conservation, but much more: it sees itself as an "advocate for bees." We spoke with Daniela from the Aurelia Foundation and squeezed a few more questions from her. We hope you enjoy reading:

Who are the people behind the Aurelia Foundation?

"We are a small team of 11 bee lovers and one female bee friend. We are environmental enthusiasts, flower pollinator admirers, and biodiversity supporters."

And who does what exactly in your company?

"The team in detail:

• Jan and Christian are specialists in wild bees (Jan is completely addicted to these hairy little creatures – sometimes he just throws himself onto the meadow on his way to lunch because he thinks he has seen a rare bumblebee).
• Johann is our agricultural consultant, knowledgeable in all matters related to agriculture, and a beekeeper himself, currently with 25 colonies. He is also our man for the Brandenburg People's Initiative " Save Biodiversity - Secure the Future " and is part of the organizing team for the European Citizens' Initiative "Save Bees and Farmers ."
• Leonard is our newest addition. He's the Managing Director and joined us at the beginning of March. He has a full desk and is bravely navigating the new topics and changes brought about by the coronavirus.
• Bernd is a campaigner on the topic of genetically modified bees. He's an old hand in campaigns and graphics.
• The second board member is Rainer, who has taken on this role on a voluntary basis. He is a hobby beekeeper, curator, and creates film sets with a focus on plants and trees.
• Florian is our public relations man, not a beekeeper, but a fisherman. The phrase he used during his interview to immortalize himself was: "I want to be part of the solution."
• Wenzel is our volunteer, a real stroke of luck. He's smart and highly motivated, which makes him a true all-rounder. We're enjoying the last few months with him to the fullest.
• The initiator, board member, head, and beating heart of the foundation is master beekeeper Thomas Radetzki. He has dedicated his life to bees (as Thomas puts it) and, after more than 40 years of work in the fields of beekeeping, biodiversity, the environment, and agriculture, he's (almost) well-versed in all aspects of life. He'll officially retire next year, something no one can quite imagine—not even him.
• Currently (!), the only woman on the team is me, Daniela Maul-Radetzki. I'm the board's advisor, maintain our culture of gratitude, do copywriting and event organization, and have my own column on our Instagram channel. "Aurelia Columna." Hand-drawn illustrations on current bee topics – check it out…"

What great successes do you like to look back on?

"There are a few - here are three of them:

1. Last year, we successfully collected over 70,000 signatures for Thomas Radetzki's Bundestag petition "Pesticide Control NOW!" This led to a hearing in the German Bundestag.
2. At the beginning of June, the oral hearings on neonicotinoids took place in Luxembourg. We have been through the long road (7 years) with friendly beekeeping associations, through all the courts, against the chemical giant Bayer. If we win, it would be a milestone in the fight against pesticides for the benefit of pollinators and our environment. The verdict is expected before the end of this year, and we are very hopeful. This way, environmental protection would finally take precedence over industry interests. Incidentally, the proceedings are extremely costly—we urgently need financial support for this.
3. The book "Inspiration Bee" by our board member Thomas Radetzki has just been published by KlettMint Verlag. A true treasure for connoisseurs and those who aspire to become one. Caution: Danger of inspiration!

What is already planned for the future?

"Something immediately comes to mind that also fits with your topics: Pesticides in home and allotment gardens are a huge problem for our pollinators. We are fighting for a ban on these substances, which the industry euphemistically calls plant protection products. In France, this has long been the case.

Another project that is particularly close to our hearts is called "Protecting Bees from Genetic Engineering ." The bee has found itself in the crosshairs of new genetic engineering. Under the pretext of protecting it, biotechnologists are already deeply interfering with the honeybee's genetic makeup. Using so-called "genome editing," the third most important farm animal after cattle and pigs is to be "genetically optimized." We are currently collecting signatures for a petition to the federal government.

If you could choose, what would your utopia look like?

"To put it somewhat romantically: a flourishing landscape that buzzes and hums! The preservation of biodiversity, which is the immune system of our planet."

Is there a project that is particularly close to your heart and why?

"The Aurelia Bee Garden project is particularly close to my heart." In addition to the 12 beehives, habitats for all kinds of wild bees are also being created here in the foundation's garden. Wild bees are even more threatened because they disappear silently and have no beekeeper to care for them in. The garden also serves as a base for the "Environmental Scouts" research project by neurobiologist Randolf Menzel (FU Berlin), who is investigating how pesticides disrupt the bees' nervous systems and thus their behavior."

Will the money collected be used for this purpose?

"Not only that. At the moment, we need the donation above all to be able to continue. The Corona crisis has also hit us existentially, as our work is financed through voluntary donations. We are confident that we can maneuver our ship through these stormy seas. But we urgently need open ears, interested minds, multipliers, and quite simply: financial support!"