There’s no understating the crucial role bees play in life. Without them, the world would literally have no fruit, nuts, vegetables or seeds. That’s why there is much reason to be alarmed about the drastic decline in bee populations within the U.S. To reverse this trend, the state of Iowa, which has seen a 70 percent drop in honeybee population over the past few years, is converting 1,000 acres of unused public land into a sanctuary for pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The sanctuary will be filled with native wildflowers and grasses that will help Iowa’s struggling honeybee population recover while also providing a new habitat for other animals local to Iowa.