A California teen is one of the recipients of the Bayer Bee Care Community Leadership Award, marking the first time a beekeeper under the age of 18 received the honor. Jake Reisdorf of Carmel is only 14 years old, but his diversified approach to pollinator health stood out among the other 20 entries. The award honors those who have demonstrated dedication to pollinator protection combined with efforts to inform local communities on how significant bees are to the overall ecosystem.
Jake Reisdorf is the first-ever beekeeper under 18 years of age to receive the Bayer Bee Care Community Leadership Award. (PRNewsfoto/Bayer)
The award also comes with a $1,000 prize to support his school and other local programs that promote honey bee health. “With the money I’ve been awarded, I’d like to fulfill my dream of building an educational center called Pollination World to teach people about all types of pollinators including bees, bats, birds, and butterflies,” Reisdorf said in a press release.
Reisdorf has had an interest in bees after taking a beekeeping course the fifth grade. After a while, he became the resource for bee health information for the rest of his classmates and even adopted his own hive. Reisdorf now has close to 100 hives throughout Monterey County.
Along with selling multiple types of honey through his business, Carmel Honey Company, Reisdorf gives educational presentations that illustrate the import role bees play in the food chain. Reisdorf also places hives on multiple types of properties for individuals who wish to support bees but may lack the necessary time or resources it takes to be beekeepers.