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Save Ohio Bees™ helps protect bees, restore habitat, and fund conservation programs. Sustainable, 100% organic, T-shirts and Totes, handmade products and artwork, free guides and video resources, bee blog, special events and more. Save Ohio Bees™ events provide education and nature experiences. Learn about native bees and how to help them thrive while enjoying the natural world. Events may be in-person, virtual or nature explorations. We collaborate with conservation areas, parks and nonprofits to provide a wide array of experiences for all ages and abilities.
save ohio bees™
Did you know 1 in 4 native bee species are facing extinction?
One in four native bee species face the threat of extinction and 40 percent of insect pollinators globally are threatened, including many native bees that are essential for US crop and wildflower pollination. In Ohio alone, there are nearly 500 species of native bees.
Our mission is to restore pollinator habitat, fund conservation, and provide educational resources and programming to the community. Our vision is to empower Ohioans to restore native plants and trees where they live, work, and play, and eliminate pesticide use in homes and gardens.
Explore our FREE resource library of bioregional guides for native bees, plants, trees, seeds, nurseries, how-to DIY projects, educational videos from local experts, information on public programs, access to citizen science apps, news, and more.
Educational Events
Did you know that native bees have been on Earth for more than 130 million years and there are nearly 500 species of wild bees in Ohio? We offer place-based conservation education programs for all ages. Learn about Ohio’s native bees and how to help them flourish while connecting more deeply with the natural world.
Discover the fascinating superpowers of native bees, how they differ from honey bees and wasps, and understand the connection between native bees and healthy food, healthy ecosystems, and healthy humans. Be empowered to create pollinator habitat and naturalize your lawn where you live, work, or play with simple and affordable methods.
We offer a variety of programs that may include in-person, virtual, and outdoor experiences.
Visit our Events page to see what’s coming soon. Contact us to schedule an event.
save ohio bees collaborates with Ohio kiwanis
for governor’s project
This year’s Ohio Kiwanis District Governor, Kelly Brown, is inspiring community pollinator habitat projects across Ohio in collaboration with Save Ohio Bees.
We are grateful to serve as a source informational resources and conservation education for 5,500 adult Kiwanis members and 10,000 student leaders in their efforts to create and enhance community pollinator habitats.
These efforts highlight the interdependence of human and ecological health, and the importance of regional collaboration and local action.
Primary threats to Native bees
Habitat Loss
90% of wild prairies and grasslands have been destroyed since colonization along with 2/3 of all wildlife (Our Planet, 2019). We can restore native plants and wild lawns.
Pesticide Use
Over 1 billion pounds of pesticides were used in the U.S. in 2022 (Whole Foods, 2023). About 60 million pounds were used in homes and gardens (Xerces Society, 2023). We can eliminate pesticide use in homes and gardens.
Climate Warming
By 2050, most of Ohio could experience an additional 2 to 3 months per year with days above 86 degrees (American Resiliency, 2022). Bees have been on Earth for 130 million years and can’t adapt quickly enough to climate changes. We can restore native tree canopy to support more biodiverse, sustainable, resilient communities.
““We have now entered the world’s sixth mass extinction event, the biggest and most rapid global biodiversity crisis since a meteor ended the age of the dinosaurs.
Bumble bees are the best pollinators we have in wild landscapes. If declines continue at this pace, many of these species could vanish forever within a few decades.”
Take the No Pesticide Pledge
In 2022, more than 60 MILLION POUNDS of pesticides were used in homes and gardens in the U.S. (Whole Foods, 2023).
Pesticides are a leading threat to native bees. Scientists supported by the US National Science Foundation have found that the decline in wild bee populations is related to pesticide use, and that wild bees have declined 43% in areas of high pesticide use (US National Science Foundation, 2024). Reducing pesticides may help conserve these essential pollinators who support the food web and complex, interconnected ecosystems.
I pledge to eliminate pesticides in my home and garden.
Get a natural, 3-ingredient recipe here to use instead!
FREE Coloring pages
You are always the right age and ability to color! Whether you’re relaxing at home, providing the kiddos with new ideas, or hosting a nature-themed event, children of all ages will love these bee and butterfly coloring pages that help them appreciate pollinators. Click the button below to download the coloring page of your choice. If you would like to share photos of completed artwork for feature on our website and social channels, contact us and we’ll tell you how.
BENEFICiaries
With the Pollinator Partnership, Save Ohio Bees supports development and enhancement of pollinator habitat on agricultural lands in Ohio, as well as education and training for farmers in habitat stewardship through Bee Friendly Farming. These habitats support native bees and pollinators, the sustainability of farms, and the health and resilience of regional ecosystems.
As the largest pollinator nonprofit, the Pollinator Partnership mission is to promote the health of pollinators critical to food sustainability and ecosystems through conservation, education, and research. Learn more.
“Everyone’s life depends on pollinator health, and everyone can play a role in protecting them. ”
Save Ohio Bees supports educational programming and community conservation programs at the Wilderness Center, including its Backyard Habitat and Dark Skies programs, as well as the educational speaker series.
The Wilderness Center serves more than 14,000 individuals and 110 local schools annually, protects 3,471 acres in seven Ohio counties, and helps sustainably manage 22,000 acres of forest. Its focus is habitat conservation, environmental education, and community engagement. Learn more.
Save Ohio Bees helps provide essential funds for wildflower seeds, native trees, invasive species removal, and native bee nesting places at the 63-acre Oberlin Preserve, part of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy (WRLC).
With few prairies in the northwest region, the Preserve provides a haven for pollinators and other wildlife. WRLC is one of the largest land trusts in the nation. Formed in 2006. Its mission is to provide essential natural assets through land conservation and restoration. Learn more.
Our founder
Our founder, Tracy Teuscher, MS, APR, OCVN is a certified Ecotherapist and Naturalist who holds an MS in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Conservation Education and Outreach.
Tracy is a passionate conservation educator who helps inspire and equip others to create more sustainable and resilient communities. In addition to providing programming for Save Ohio Bees, her presentations have been featured by the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Wilderness Center, Chef’s Garden, Stark Parks, Buckeye Valley High School, Washington High School, Ohio Kiwanis, and the international Climate & Justice Teach-in.
Tracy is the accredited, award-winning founder of The Buzz Maker® Public Relations and a distinguished Who’s Who in America honoree.
Tracy Teuscher, MS, APR, OCVN
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Intersectionality
We humbly acknowledge that we inhabit the land of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy also known as the Iroquois Six Nations people. We embrace people of every race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, culture, and ability. We strive to overcome implicit bias and deepen our understanding and compassion for the lived experiences of others. We seek to be allies who contribute to social and environmental justice and reparation. Together we rise.
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