National Pollinator Week was celebrated from June 22 to 28 and many groups took advantage of the opportunity to educate folks about the importance of pollinators to our food supply, biodiversity, the soil, for wildlife and much more.

Here is a series of articles published by PA Environment Digest this week on how people are taking action to help pollinators.

See what the “buzz” is all about!

-- National Pollinator Week June 22-28: Help Encourage Ecological Diversity In Your Own Backyard

If you’re looking for a great project at home to celebrate National Pollinator Week, here’s an idea-- plan a pollinator garden in your backyard or anywhere you have some space.  Here’s the planning process I went through for the one in my backyard, but a pollinator garden of any size will do.   -- David Hess  

Click Here to read the article.

-- Bay Journal Forum:  Do You Like To Eat And Breathe?  Thank A Pollinator:

By Kathy Reshetiloff, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

This year, we celebrate Pollinator Week from June 22–28.

Pollination ensures that a plant will produce full-bodied fruit and a full set of viable seeds. It occurs when pollen is moved within flowers or carried from flower to flower by animals such as birds, bees, bats, butterflies, moths, beetles and other animals, or by the wind. This leads to fertilization, then seed and fruit production in plants. 

Click Here to read the article.

-- Farmers And Private Forest Landowners Use Conservation To Protect Pollinator Habitat, Boost Crop Production

By Denise Coleman, USDA NRCS State Conservationist in Pennsylvania

The next time you snack on almonds, add blueberries to your smoothie or eat pumpkin pie, thank a pollinator and thank farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners who work hard to create and maintain their habitat.

Click Here to read the article.

-- Agriculture: Pollinators Need Pennsylvanians’ Help To Sustain Future Of Food Security

On June 24, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding reminded Pennsylvanians--  from kids and parents, to homeowners, to farmers--  the importance of taking steps to protect our valuable population of pollinators to protect the future of food security.

Click Here to read the article.

-- Pollinator Project Supports Biodiversity At Penn State Orchard Road Solar Energy Array

By Amy Duke, Penn State News

An innovative project is creating a buzz around Penn State’s University Park campus, especially among the many species of pollinators that call Centre County home.

Click Here to read the article.

Penn State Extension Hosts Webinar Series On Bee Biology, Ecology, Management, Gardening For Pollinators

By Jack Ouligian, Penn State News

An eight-part webinar series developed by Penn State Extension aims to teach people all about bees, discussing topics as diverse as colony survival, queen bee rearing and transforming one’s garden into a pollinator-friendly habitat.

Click Here to read the article.

Get A Bee’s Eye View Of Your Landscape by visiting the Beescape webpage from the Penn State Center for Pollinator Research.

NewsClips:

Giant Food’s Solar Energy Field Shines A Light On Saving Honeybees

Ernst Conservation Seeds Hosts NW PA Beekeepers Assn. Queen Bee Improvement Project

PPL: Exploring Pollinator Plots

Pollinator/Native Plant Resources

There are lots of resources available to help property owners landscape with native plants, and now is the best time to start planning for Spring projects.  Here are just a few of the resources available--

-- DCNR Landscaping With Native Plants

-- PA Native Plant Society: Create A Native Backyard Garden

-- Game Commission: Common Beneficial Plants Found In Wildlife Habitat

-- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Native Plants For Wildlife Habitat And Conservation Landscaping

-- Chesapeake Bay Sustainable Landscape Professional Directory

-- Brandywine Conservancy: Forested Riparian Buffer Planting Guide

-- Audubon PA: Bird Habitat Recognition Program

-- National Audubon: Native Plants Database

-- Xerces Society For Invertebrate Conservation

-- Gardening For Butterflies: Penn State Extension

-- Planting For Pollinators: Penn State Extension

-- Penn State Extension Master Gardeners

-- Center For Pollinator Research, Penn State

-- Pennsylvania Pollinator Protection Plan - Learn Why Pollinators Are At Risk In PA

-- Ernst Seeds - Pollinator Habitat Restoration

-- Million Pollinator Garden Challenge

You can also check with land trusts, watershed groups, PA Audubon and Trout Unlimited Chapters, county conservation districts or other groups near you to see how they can help.

Related Articles - Pollinators:

-- Senate Hearing: Non-Native, Invasive Plant Species Ecologically Castrating The Landscape, But There Is A Solution

-- Feature: Recognizing The Value Of Native Plants For Pollinators - Dr. Doug Tallamy

-- Agriculture, Penn State Release PA Pollinator Protection Plan Recommendations

-- Pollinator Population Is Going Down In PA Due To Pesticides, Parasites And Pathogens

-- Manada Conservancy Offers Pollinator/Native Plant Landscape Design Service [Recommended]

-- Penn State Extension: Planting Pollinator-Friendly Gardens - Pollinator Week June 17-23

-- PennDOT Launches New Pollinator Habitat Plan; Adopt And Beautify For Pollinators Program For Citizens Who Want To Help

-- Sen. Yudichak, Cong. Barletta, Author Caroline Jones Celebrate The Launch Of We Saved The Bees And The Butterflies Children's Book

[Posted: June 27, 2020]

6/29/2020