Power company donates 660,000 bees to aid wildfire-hit Meriç

Greece's Public Power Corporation (DEI) has launched an environmental recovery program in wildfire-devastated Meriç (Evros), donating 33 bee colonies—around 660,000 bees in total.

The “Restart Evros” initiative aims to support natural regeneration and biodiversity by pollinating billions of flowers, while also providing economic relief to local communities affected by the fires.

The project is a partnership with local organic beekeeper Giorgos Karafyllidis, who lost all of his hives in last year’s blazes. Karafyllidis will manage and care for the new colonies, helping to restore his livelihood.

The initiative is implemented in collaboration with the nonprofit organization Bee for Planet and receives scientific support from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, which will use DNA analysis of the honey to monitor the region’s biodiversity.