Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course

Wenatchee, Washington
July 7, 2011
9:00 am - 4:00 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 which 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 Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, registration is free for the first 15 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 30, 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, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Utah. Visit our events page to view up-to-date short course information.

SHORT COURSE TRAINING SKILLS AND OBJECTIVES

• Ability to identify ways of increasing and enhancing pollinator diversity on the land
• Knowledge of the current best management practices that minimize land-use impacts on pollinators
• Ability to identify bees and distinguish them from other insects
• Knowledge of the economics of insect-pollinated crops, and the effects of pollinator decline           
• Knowledge of the current Farm Bill pollinator conservation provisions and how to implement those provisions through USDA programs such as WHIP, EQIP, CSP, and CRP
• Ability to assess pollinator habitat and to identify habitat deficiencies
• Ability to make recommendations to farmers and land managers that conserve pollinators (including subjects such as roadside management, tillage, pesticide use, burning, grazing, and cover cropping)
• Ability to design and implement habitat improvements, such as native plant restoration and nest site enhancements
• Ability to incorporate pollinators into land-management or policy decisions

COURSE AGENDA

Module 1 Introduction

• Pollination economics and the role of native bees in commercial crop production
• Pollination biology
• Colony Collapse Disorder and honey bee industry trends

 Module 2 Basic Bee Biology

• Bee identification
• Identifying pollinator nest sites

 Module 3 Bee-Friendly Farming

• The role of farm habitat
• Mitigating pesticide damage
• Protecting ground-nesting bees in cultivated fields

Module 4 Habitat Restoration

• Habitat design considerations
• Plant selection and seed sources
• Planting techniques for native wildflowers
• Long-term habitat management
• Artificial nest sites

Module 5 Current Farm Bill Provisions

• Using NRCS practices for pollinator conservation
• Conservation case studies (Bob Gillespie, Wenatchee Valley Community College, Native Bees of Selected Native Plants of North-central Washington)

Module 6 Open Laboratory

• Field observation and land-use discussion
• Examination of pinned specimens, artificial nests, and display materials

Module 7 Additional Resources

Module 8 Wrap Up

• Questions
• Evaluations
• Raffle

INSTRUCTOR BIO

Eric Mader works to raise awareness of native pollinator conservation techniques among growers and government agencies as the Assistant Pollinator Program Director with The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. He is also an Assistant Extension Professor at the University of Minnesota's Department of Entomology, and has authored several books and government management plans for native pollinators. He most recently co-authored Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America's Bees and Butterflies and Managing Alternative Pollinators: A Handbook for Beekeepers, Growers, and Conservationist. Contact: eric@xerces.org

ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS

Bob Gillespie is a faculty member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources department at Wenatchee Valley Community College. He has a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and a masters degree in entomology from the University of Idaho. His master's thesis was on the biological control of spotted and diffuse knapweed. Bob received his PhD in biology from Montana State University with a dissertation on the plant and grasshopper communities associated with rangeland and winter wheat. His professional interests include native plants and native pollinators, native bee pollinators, and native plant restoration. Contact: rgillespie@wvc.edu

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

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