Greece's Public Power Corporation (DEI) has launched a new program to aid the environmental recovery of the wildfire-ravaged Evros region by donating 33 bee colonies, totaling some 660,000 bees.
The "Restart Evros" initiative aims to boost natural regeneration and biodiversity through the pollination of billions of flowers, while also supporting the hard-hit local economy.
The project is a direct partnership with local organic beekeeper Giorgos Karafyllidis, who lost all of his hives in last year's devastating fires. Mr. Karafyllidis will manage and care for the new hives, helping to rebuild his livelihood.
"Restart Evros" is being implemented in collaboration with the nonprofit organization Bee for Planet and with scientific support from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, which will use DNA analysis of the honey to track the region's biodiversity.