Oregon sees no pesticide-related bee deaths for 4 years after statewide education push

Oregon has gone four years without a single pesticide-related bee death, state scientists report.According to Oregon State University’s first report on bee health, the last recorded incident was before 2021. The state is home to 567 bee species, one of the most diverse populations in the country.

The turnaround follows a 2013 mass bee die-off linked to pesticides. In response, lawmakers created a Pollinator Health Task Force and charged OSU with developing education for pesticide users.

The Oregon Bee Project, launched in 2018, trained 12,000 landscapers and farmers on safer pesticide practices and rolled out materials to schools. OSU also built the Oregon Bee Atlas, mapping all bee species in the state and providing county-specific plant lists to help people create pollinator-friendly spaces.

Public support grew so strong that specialty license plates raised $800,000 for the project. “Oregon has built one of the strongest bee survey and education networks in the country,” said OSU Extension’s Andony Melathopoulos. “We can now give people better information for protecting bees and improving habitat.”