Calgarians to climb mountain peaks to highlight plight of 'stressed' bees

Two Calgarians hopeto create a buzz around the plight of bees by bagging four mountain peaks in a day with the added of challenge ofwearing beekeeper suits and carrying 40 kilogramsof honey.

Spencer Madden, co-founder of Eco Not Ego International,says the goal of their "crazy outdoor challenge" is simple: to save the bees,he told the Calgary Eyeopener on Friday.

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Madden and his business partner, Josie Ganos, started the Bee Aware AB campaign to raise funds and increaseawareness aboutthe threat to honey and wild bees around the world.

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Ganos and Madden will begin their ambitious quest to completewhat isknown as the Canmore Quad.

The quartet of peaksthey'llclimb over 24 hoursincludes Grotto Mountain, Lady McDonald, the east end of Rundle peak and theHa Ling peak. There'sa total elevation gain of about11,000 metres.

"The purpose is to simulate some of the conditions bees are under and stresses that they are receiving in this current environment," says Madden.

Though the weather looksfavourable, the trek is not without some dangers especially whilewearing the unorthodox gear. Madden says they'll remove their beekeeperhead coverings as they crossthe "knife's edge," a narrow spine along Lady McDonald peak. It's a deadly drop of about 700 metres on the north side and a chute of about 1,000 metres of nasty terrain on the south side.

The pair hopes to raise $2,000 and all the proceeds will go to free educational programs for school children and giving people the chance to interact with bees at Madden's apiaries.

Negative synergies for bees

Madden's fascination with bees began in childhood, but after learning more about their rapidly declining numbers he was moved to do something.

"There's just something about those fuzzy little creatures that warms my heart, and as you get older you realize the reality is that they are under stresses, and it just snowballed from there."

Many scientists have speculated on the reasons for the decline in bees, says Madden.

"Some of the biggest factors are pesticide and herbicide use, which affects the bee's ability to find their way back to the hives."

Other theories include climate changes, as well as the way agricultural industry works with the need for high yield and turnover, plus the clear-cutting of trees.

"All these things create a horrible synergy for the bees and have really made their populations take a nosedive."

Einstein's words of warning

"The day the last bee dies, humanity has about four years to live," saidMadden quoting Enstein'sominous words.

"One third of our food supply is pollinated by bees and imagine going into your grocery store ... and there's just no food if the bee population is allowed to continue to collapse."

Madden is the proud owner of apiaries, but he's quick to point out that "(the bees) own you."

But it's helped him understand how bee colonies work and that people could take some lessons from the fuzzy insects.

"You can draw a lot of parallels with how society and how we could be working as well, harmonizing and everyone having a role in trying to do something for the better."