Registration $25 per person.
A pizza lunch will be provided. Please plan on bringing a sack lunch with you to the course, if you prefer.
Canceled registrations can be refunded until August 10th, 2016.
This Pollinator Conservation Short Course is made possible with the support of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), with special thanks to the Prowers Conservation District (CD). Additional support for this training is provided by the following: Cascadian Farm, Ceres Trust, Cheerios, Clif Bar Family Foundation, CS Fund, Disney Conservation Fund, The Dudley Foundation, Endangered Species Chocolate LLC, General Mills, Häagen-Dazs, J.Crew, National Co+op Grocers, Nature Valley, Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust, Turner Foundation, Inc., The White Pine Fund, Whole Foods Market and its vendors, Whole Systems Foundation, and Xerces Society members.
Long horned bee by Jennifer Hopwood.
Pollinator Conservation Short Course
Lamar, Colorado
Lamar County Fairgrounds (Home Economics Building)
Wednesday, August 24th, 2016
9:00 am - 4:30 pm MTN
This full day workshop will focus on concepts around protecting and enhancing populations of pollinators, especially bees, in agricultural landscapes. The course will provide an overview of bee natural history and identify practices such as protecting and creating habitat, modified horticultural practices, and advice on how to manage pests while protecting pollinators. In addition to receiving the latest cutting edge scientific findings, course participants will be guided on a field tour to practice identifying bees and their habitat.
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' book, Attracting Native Pollinators. 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 pollinators@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.
SHORT COURSE TRAINING SKILLS AND OBJECTIVES
COURSE AGENDA
Module 1 Introduction - The Importance of Pollinator Conservation
Module 2 Basic Bee and Butterfly Biology
Module 3 Bee-Friendly Farming
Break
Module 4 Habitat Restoration
Lunch
Module 5 Open Laboratory (Weather permitting)
Module 6 Accessing Technical and Financial Support
Module 7 Additional Resources
Module 8 Wrap Up
INSTRUCTORS
Jennifer Hopwood - Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, The Xerces Society
Patty Knupp - Area Biologist for Southeastern Colorado for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
As Area Biologist Patty provides technical assistance to 16 NRCS field offices on NEPA, Wetland Conservation Compliance, species conservation and habitat management. She also works with numerous partners applying landscape level conservation on the ground. Patty has a B.S. and M.S. in Wildlife Management. Her background includes 13 years’ experience as a state biologist with the VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries working in early successional habitats on private lands. She has worked with NRCS for 10 years; five as a contract Private Lands Wildlife Biologist and five as a Federal employee working on habitat restoration through the Farm Bill.
Chanda Garcia - State Biologist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Colorado
As the NRCS Colorado State Biologist, Chandra provides technical expertise and leadership state-wide on species conservation and habitat management on private lands. Her background includes 13 years of providing professional level experience on wildlife habitat ecology and management, wetland restoration and conservation, and environmental compliance.
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.