Everything Under The Sun: Supporting Local Pollinators

Friday, July 22, 2016

Supporting Local Pollinators

One of the programs presented to children, this one for Earth Day.

Remember that issue with beehive colonies dying in various parts of the country? A few years ago, that issue was being covered by news media. That issue hasn't faded, but the coverage has. Most research studies have pointed to particular chemicals in insecticides as the culprit.

No matter the cause, though, it is vital to maintain populations of bees, for without them, there would be no plants. Pollination would not occur, since other pollinators have their own preferences about the pollen they touch, and, even if they do survive, plant life would become limited.

Gretchen Heine grew up on a farm in Oregon, where her life was close to the land. She developed an appreciation of pollinators. After she moved to Colorado, she founded POLLINATION PLANET, an organization dedicated to supporting the variety of pollinators found in nature. One of the largest portions of the organization's activities is providing education and awareness.

According to Gretchen, "I am passionate about educating people about the importance of pollinators and their connection to our food supply while also providing them with tools to protect this valuable species. I truly believe that creating that hands-on connection for kids will have a lasting impact on our entire ecosystem."

Pollination Planet has created several different types of presentations on the connection between pollinators and the food supply, and how to make a difference in maintaining their numbers. These are available to various organizations, like neighborhood associations, companies, and clubs. The talks can be targeted to backyards or the entire community.

In addition, there are programs created specifically for children. The presentations are hands-on and presented in a fun way. These are available for classes, after-school programs, camp sessions, scout troops, and 4H groups. At the end, children are given their own pollinator habitats, which they can place in their yards.

Oregon beehives.

One of the biggest pieces of advice that is given to gardeners who want pollinators in their home gardens is to avoid using pesticides with neonicotinoids, which is toxic to pollinators That's the class of ingredient which was found to be so deadly in bee colony destruction. The ingredients to avoid are imidacloprid, acetamiprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin, and thizmethoxam. Unfortunately, the US has not yet decided to ban these chemicals, so it's vitally important for gardeners to avoid using them.