Jillian Vento
The Xerces Society
pollinators@xerces.org
(855) 232-6639
Gary Casabona
NRCS Rhode Island
(401) 822-8837
Kelly Gill
The Xerces Society - Mid-Atlantic Region
(515) 708-6108
Registration $45 per person.
Please bring your own lunch - food will not be provided.
Canceled registrations can be refunded until Feb 17th, 2017
South Kingstown Land Trust Barn
17 Matunuck Beach Rd.
South Kingstown, RI 02879
This Conservation Planning for Pollinators and Beneficial Insects Short Course is made possible with the support of the USDA-NRCS. 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.
Special thanks to South Kingston Land Trust.
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.
Andrena sp. by Nancy Lee Adamson, The Xerces Society
Conservation Planning for Pollinators and Beneficial Insects
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 farm practices that support pollinators, such as protecting and creating habitat, modified horticultural practices, and advice on how to manage pests while protecting pollinators.
Introductory topics include the principles of pollinator biology and integrated crop pollination, 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 Short Courses, as well as Conservation Biological Control Short Courses across the country. Visit our online events page to view up-to-date short course information.
SHORT COURSE TRAINING SKILLS AND OBJECTIVES
Continuing Education Credits offered:
COURSE AGENDA
Module 1 Introduction - The Importance of Pollinator Conservation
Module 2 Basic Bee and Butterfly Biology
Break
Module 3 Habitat Restoration
Lunch - Please bring your own bagged lunch!
Module 4 Assessing Pollinator Habitat and Pollinator Monitoring
Module 5 Beneficial Insects - Predators and Parasitoids
Break
Guest Speaker - Farm Bill Provisions for Pollinators, presented by Gary Casabona, USDA NRCS
Module 6 Bee-Friendly Farming
Wrap Up
INSTRUCTORS
Kelly Gill – Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Northeast & Mid-Atlantic Region
Kelly is the Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions for The Xerces Society and a partner biologist with the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Kelly’s position provides technical support for planning, installing, and managing habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects. A Pennsylvania native, Kelly completed her Master’s Degree in Entomology at Iowa State University. There, she conducted small plot and farm scale research, collaborating with organic and conventional farmers, on the development of best practices for conserving beneficial insects in agricultural landscapes.
Gary Casabona, State Biologist, NRCS RI
Gary Casabona holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences from Rutgers University, and a M.S. in Wildlife Biology from Virginia Tech. He worked for USDA-NRCS in New Jersey for 14 years before moving to Rhode Island in 2011 as the statewide wildlife biologist for NRCS. Gary’s current activities include habitat projects for New England cottontail, native pollinators, scrub/shrub birds, wetland restoration, fish passage, and oyster restoration.