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.
Registration is $45 per person and includes a copy of Attracting Native Pollinators. After Friday June 6, registration is $50 per person.
Lunch is not included. Please plan on bringing a sack lunch and refillable water bottle with you to the course.
Canceled registrations can be refunded until June 13, 2014.
Duke Farms, Coach Barn
80 Route 206 South
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
ATTENTION- Please use the Coach Barn entrance.
Click here for a map of Duke Farms grounds.
The Xerces Society provides reasonable accommodations for special events with adequate notice. To request accommodation for events, please contact shortcourses@xerces.org by Friday, June 6th, 2014.
The USDA and the Xerces Society are equal-opportunity providers and employers.
This Pollinator Conservation Short Course is made possible with the support of the Northeastern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Duke Farms and the Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust. Additional support for this training is provided by the following: Ceres Foundation, CS Fund, Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Endangered Species Chocolate, Turner Foundation, Whole Foods Market and its vendors, and Xerces Society members.
Bumble bee on Helenium Autumnale by Kelly Gill, the Xerces Society.
Pollinator Conservation Short Course
Coach Barn at Duke Farms
Hillsborough, New Jersey
Friday, June 20, 2014
9:00 am - 4:30 pm EDT
Learn how to attract native pollinators to fields, farms, and orchards!
Pollinators, which include bees, butterflies, and other insects, 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 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 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 Credits Available*
Certified Crop Adviser (5 CEUs)
Society of American Foresters (5.5 CFE credits)
The Wildlife Society (5.5 contact hours)
SHORT COURSE TRAINING SKILLS AND OBJECTIVES
COURSE AGENDA
Module 1 Introduction and Importance of Pollinator Conservation
Module 2 Basic Bee and Butterfly Biology
Module 3 Bee-Friendly Farming
Module 4 Habitat Restoration
Module 5 Open Laboratory (weather permitting)
Module 6 Current Farm Bill Provisions
Module 7 Additional Resources
Module 8 Wrap Up
INSTRUCTOR
Kelly Gill – Pollinator Conservation Specialist - Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions
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 pollinator habitat. A Pennsylvania native, Kelly recently 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.
GUEST SPEAKER
Betsy McShane – Biologist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
As a NRCS Biologist, Betsy provides assistance to landowners in the determination, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands. Additional responsibilities include control of invasive species, threatened and endangered species habitat protection, and wildlife habitat creation and management. Betsy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology/Environmental Science from Providence College, Providence, RI. She began her career with the USDA-NRCS in Rhode Island in 1998. A native of New Jersey, she transferred to her home state in 2002.
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.