Butterfly Pavilion Achieves Milestone in Serving Pollinators

Since 2016, Butterfly Pavilion has served approximately 38,250,000 pollinators.

Westminster, Colo. – December 27, 2019 – Pollinators such as honey bees, native bees and butterflies are vital to the human production of food and the reproduction of native plants. So much so, that bees were recently named the most important living beings on the planet by the Earthwatch Institute. Over the past few decades habitat destruction, pesticide use, parasites and pathogens have significantly decreased their numbers. In response to these challenges, Colorado’s Butterfly Pavilion created the Pollinator Awareness through Conservation and Education (PACE) initiative in 2016, with the goal of serving 20 million pollinators by 2020. Today, due in large part to a partnership with Local Hive™ Honey, a Greeley, Colo.-based manufacturer of local, raw and unfiltered honey, as well as other individual donors, Butterfly Pavilion announced it has smashed that goal, serving over 38 million pollinators as 2019 comes to a close.

From the backyards and open spaces of Westminster and Broomfield, Colo., to the villages of Nepal and Tanzania, PACE is a global initiative aiming to introduce new pollinators to areas, as well as creating new habitat for the pollinators that are already in an area. Since 2016, Butterfly Pavilion has served approximately 38,250,000 pollinators through the following programs:

• In partnership with the Katie Adamson Conservation Fund, Butterfly Pavilion is solving the human-elephant conflict in Nepal and Tanzania by installing bee fences around villagers’ farms which scare elephants away: 2M
• Butterfly Pavilion installs and maintains hives in conjunction with local businesses like hotels and restaurants, including the Westminster Marriott: 3.7M
• Butterfly Pavilion’s Beekeeping Bootcamps, which teach community members how to keep bees in their own yards: 4.65M
• The Urban Prairies Project, a partnership between Butterfly Pavilion, the City and County of Broomfield, the City of Westminster, Denver Botanic Gardens and the Broomfield Open Space Foundation, aimed at improving ecological health of urban and suburban open spaces for pollinators: 27.9M
• Butterfly Pavilion recently announced that it is creating Pollinator Districts, communities designed to conserve and improve habitat for pollinators in all aspects of real estate development and operation. Pollinator Districts engage all of the people that live, work and play in these spaces, encouraging them to experience nature and build a greater appreciation for these critical species and their habitats.

“Protecting pollinators helps achieve multiple conservation goals: encouraging the protection of public green spaces, highlighting urban and rural interdependence, promoting the use of native plants in residential landscaping, and advancing environmental education at schools, communities and with the general public,” said Patrick Tennyson, president and CEO of Butterfly Pavilion. “Butterfly Pavilion is uniquely positioned to leverage our expertise in pollinators to change the way people think about our communities and how we can protect these incredibly important creatures. And thanks to the generosity and partnership from Local Hive™, we’re able to advance these programs quicker and further than we’d originally hoped.”

Since 2018, Local Hive™ has donated a portion of proceeds from every bottle sold around the world to the PACE initiative to promote and protect the prosperity of pollinators worldwide. Local Hive™ implemented a 360-degree campaign featuring PACE on all initiatives including a new label design, launch of a new website, digital advertising and social media.

“Since 1924, Local Hive™ has been committed to the health and prosperity of bees,” said Tony Landretti, Chief Executive Officer. “Bees are obviously critical to providing natural, delicious, local honey to our customers, but more than that, they’re critical to health of our communities and planet. Our partnership with Butterfly Pavilion and the PACE initiative is just the right thing to do on a number of levels.”

PACE is a key initiative on Butterfly Pavilion’s journey to becoming the global center for invertebrate conservation, research and education. In 2017, Butterfly Pavilion announced its plans for a new $40 million state-of-the-art facility located in Broomfield, Colorado. This new 81,000-square-foot facility will be home to world-class research lab with an accredited zoological facility to serve as the preeminent local, national and global hub for invertebrate knowledge, conservation, inspiration and connection.

Learn more about Butterfly Pavilion’s permanent exhibits, important education, research and conservation work at www.butterflies.local or by calling 303-469-5441. Butterfly Pavilion is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 6252 West 104^th Avenue in Westminster, Colo.

About Butterfly Pavilion:

Butterfly Pavilion is the world’s only stand-alone, Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited invertebrate zoo dedicated to transforming the way people think about the small but mighty animals that are the hidden heroes of the animal kingdom. As the leader in invertebrate knowledge, inspiration and connection, and as a member institution of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Butterfly Pavilion works to foster an appreciation of these critical animals by educating the public about the need to protect and care for threatened habitats globally, while conducting research for solutions in invertebrate conservation. Whether it is providing unique, hands-on learning experiences in our exhibits and educational programs, conducting new research that sets the standard for zoos across the country or building innovative solutions for species and habitat conservation in countries around the world, Butterfly Pavilion is leading the way in ensuring invertebrates are protected for the future. Learn more at butterflies.local.

About Local Hive™ Honey™:

Since 1924, Local Hive™ has been passionate about making honey one way; locally. We only partner with American beekeepers to provide authentic, local, U.S.A. Grade A raw and unfiltered honey. Every drop is straight from the hive, made by hardworking bees – nothing added, nothing removed – preserving the natural nutrients in every bottle. Visit www.localhivehoney.com to learn more about our 17 different local raw honey varietals, which are an artisan blend of floral types by region and state. Local Hive™ has partnerships with over 200 local beekeepers across the U.S. to provide its unique local raw and unfiltered honey varietals.

Butterfly Pavilion Media Contact(s):
Kristen Petitt Stewart, kstewart@butterflies.org or 970-389-1561
Russ Pecoraro, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, rpecoraro@butterflies.org or 720.375.9984