Thanks to support from Southern SARE, we are able to offer 15 scholarships on a first-come first-served basis.
Registration $45 per person thereafter.
Lunch is not included. Please plan on bringing a sack lunch with you to the course.
Canceled registrations can be refunded until July 22nd, 2013.
Driving directions to field site at the North Alabama Horticulture Research Center (9:00 - 10:00 am)
North Alabama Horticulture Research Center
765 County Road 1466
Cullman, AL 35056
Driving directions to indoor training site at Cullman Electric Cooperative (10:15 am - 4:00 pm)
Cullman Electric Cooperative
1749 Eva Rd NE
Cullman, AL 35058
This Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course is made possible with the support of the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Additional support for this training is provided by the following: Cinco, CS Fund, Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Endangered Species Chocolate, The Metabolic Studio, Turner Foundation, Whole Foods Market and its vendors, and Xerces Society members.
Special thank you to Alabama NRCS, Alabama Soil and Water Conservation District, Alabama Cooperative Extension, A&M University, Auburn University, Longleaf Alliance, Dorrill Farm, Red Root Farm, and Cullman Electric Cooperative for supporting these courses.
Sweat bee on blanket flower by Nancy Lee Adamson.
Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course
Cullman, Alabama
July 30, 2013
9:00 am - 4:00 pm CDT
Pollinators are essential to our environment. The ecological service they provide is necessary for the reproduction of more than 85 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.
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.
The Xerces Society is offering similar Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Courses across the country. Visit our online events page to view up-to-date short course information. If you would like to receive announcements about upcoming short courses, please email shortcourses@xerces.org. Be sure to include the following information: name, affiliation, mailing address, phone number, and the state(s) for which you would like to receive announcements.
**Continuing Education Credit Available**
Certified Crop Adviser (5 CEUs)
Society for American Foresters (5.5 CFE credits)
The Wildlife Society (5.5 contact hours)
SHORT COURSE TRAINING SKILLS AND OBJECTIVES
COURSE AGENDA
The course will begin with a field visit at the North Alabama Horticulture Research Center. Please meet at:
765 County Road 1466
Cullman, AL 35056
The classroom portion of the Short Course will take place at Cullman Electric Cooperative located at 1749 Eva Rd NE, Cullman, AL 35058
Module 1 Introduction and Importance of Pollinator Conservation
Module 2 Basic Bee and Butterfly Biology
Module 3 Bee-Friendly Farming
Module 4 Restoring Pine Understory Habitat
Module 5 Habitat Restoration
Module 6 Current Farm Bill Provisions
Module 7 Additional Resources
Module 8 Wrap Up
INSTRUCTOR
Nancy Lee Adamson, PhD – Pollinator Conservation Specialist - East Region
Nancy is the Pollinator Conservation Specialist - East Region for the Xerces Society and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service East National Technology Support Center (ENTSC). She supports pollinator conservation care of the ENTSC in Greensboro, North Carolina. She studied bees important for crop pollination (primarily native bees) and meadow restoration in the mid-Atlantic, ran the horticulture and Master Gardener programs for Frederick County Maryland Cooperative Extension, and has long been involved in inventorying, collecting seed, and propagating native plants for habitat restoration. As Education Coordinator and Nursery Manager at Adkins Arboretum on the eastern shore of Maryland, she started a local ecotype propagation program following work with Bloomin’ Natives (now Chesapeake Natives). A former Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia, she also worked as an intern with Cultural Survival in Petén, Guatemala.
GUEST SPEAKERS
Carol Denhof, Understory Coordinator, Longleaf Alliance
Jeff Thurmond, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama NRCS
Gary Weil, Owner, Red Root Farm
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.