The content of this course is tailored to the needs of NRCS, SWCD, Cooperative Extension, and state department of agriculture employees as well as crop consultants, natural resource specialists, non-governmental conservation organization staff, and producers of bee-pollinated crops.
Ashley Minnerath
The Xerces Society
shortcourses@xerces.org
(855) 232-6639
Thanks to Northeast SARE, registration is free for the first 30 people. Additional seats are available for $30. Lunch is not included. Please plan on bringing a sack lunch with you to the course.
Hurry, registration closes after 55 people!
Canceled registrations can be refunded until June 27, 2011.
This Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course is made possible with the support of Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NESARE), and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Additional support for this training is provided by the following: Aveda Earth Fund, CS Fund, Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust, Turner Foundation, University of Connecticut, University of Rhode Island, Whole Systems Foundation, and Xerces Society members.
Long-horned bee (Melissodes) on sunflower, by Mace Vaughan, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Kingston, Rhode Island
July 6, 2011
9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Pollinators are essential to our environment. The ecological service they provide is necessary for the reproduction of nearly 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants and is fundamental to agriculture and natural ecosystems. More than two-thirds of the world’s crop species are dependent on pollination, with an annual estimated value of $18 to $27 billion in the United States alone. Beyond agriculture, pollinators are keystone species in most terrestrial ecosystems, since their activities are ultimately responsible for the seeds and fruits that feed everything from songbirds to black bears. Conservation of pollinating insects is critically important to preserving both wider biodiversity as well as agriculture.
In many places, however, this essential service is at risk. In 2006, the National Academy of Sciences released the report Status of Pollinators in North America, which called attention to the decline of pollinators. The report urged agencies and organizations to increase awareness and protect pollinator habitat.
The Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course was developed to address this need. This day long Short Course will equip conservationists, land managers, farm educators, and agricultural professionals with the latest science-based approaches to increasing crop security and reversing the trend of pollinator decline, especially in heavily managed agricultural landscapes.
Introductory topics include the principles of pollinator biology, the economics of insect pollination, basic bee field identification, and evaluating pollinator habitat. Advanced modules will cover land management practices for pollinator protection, pollinator habitat restoration, incorporating pollinator conservation into federal conservation programs, selection of plants for pollinator enhancement sites, management of natural landscapes, and financial and technical resources to support these efforts.
Throughout the short course these training modules are illustrated by case studies of pollinator conservation efforts across the country.
Registrants will receive the Xerces Society’s Pollinator Conservation Toolkit that includes Xerces’ latest book, Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies, as well as habitat management guidelines and relevant USDA-NRCS and Extension publications.
Thanks to support from Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, registration is free for the first 30 people. Additional seats are available for $30. Lunch is not included. Please plan on bringing a sack lunch with you to the course.
Canceled registrations can be refunded until June 27, 2011.
This course is the one of many being offered during the 2011 season. The Xerces Society will also be hosting similar courses in the following states: Colorado, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington. Visit our events page to view up-to-date short course information.
SHORT COURSE TRAINING SKILLS AND OBJECTIVES
COURSE AGENDA
Module 1 Introduction
Module 2 Basic Bee Biology
Module 3 Bee-Friendly Farming
Module 4 Habitat Restoration
Module 5 Current Farm Bill Provisions
Module 6 Open Laboratory
Module 7 Additional Resources
Module 8 Wrap Up
INSTRUCTOR BIO
Mace Vaughan is the Xerces Society's Pollinator Program Director and Joint Pollinator Conservation Specialist with the NRCS West National Technology Support Center. Mace provides technical support to the NRCS, conservation organizations, and landowners. He also supervises a national team of specialists who conduct outreach and research on habitat restoration for crop pollinating native bees, and collaborate extensively with scientists studying the role and habitat needs of these insects. He has written numerous articles on the conservation of bees, butterflies, aquatic invertebrates, and insects. He is co-author of the Pollinator Conservation Handbook, lead author of Farming for Bees: Guidelines for Providing Native Bee Habitat on Farms, and co-author of the newly released Attracting Native Pollinators: The Xerces Society Guide to Conserving North American Bees and Butterflies and Their Habitat. Mace was a lecturer on honey bee biology and beekeeping at Cornell University, from which he holds Masters Degrees in Entomology and Teaching. He also has wrangled insects and rapped about honey bees for PBS Nature.Contact: mace@xerces.org
Jolie Goldenetz-Dollar is the Xerces Society's Pollinator Habitat Restoration Specialist in the Mid-Atlantic region. In this role she provides technical support and training to the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, other conservation agencies, and farmers on pollinator conservation and native plant restoration. Jolie holds a Bachelor's degree in International Agricultural Development from the University of California at Davis, a Master's degree in Natural Resources from the University of Arizona, and a Doctorate degree in Wildlife Studies from Mississippi State University. Contact: jolie@xerces.org
ABOUT THE XERCES SOCIETY
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. The Society's Pollinator Conservation Program was launched in 1996, and works with leading native pollinator ecologists to translate the latest research findings into on-the-ground conservation. More information about the Xerces Society is available at www.xerces.org