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NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK 2010

The fourth annual National Pollinator Week is June 21-27, 2010!
The Pollinator Partnership is proud to announce that June 21-27, 2010 has been designated National Pollinator Week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Three years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of the final week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. In just three years Pollinator Week has grown to be an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles. The growing concern for pollinators is a sign of progress, but it is vital that we continue to maximize our collective effort.  The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture signs the proclamation every year.

Pollinating animals, including bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles and others, are vital to our delicate ecosystem, supporting terrestrial wildlife, providing healthy watershed, and more. Therefore, Pollinator Week is a week to get the importance of pollinators’ message out to as many people as possible.
It's not too early to start thinking about an event at your school, garden, church, store, etc. Pollinators positively effect all our lives- let's SAVE them and CELEBRATE them!

Read the National Pollinator Week press release.

Pollinator Week Kit 2010

The Pollinator Week Kit is filled with fliers, recipes, stickers and more for your NPW event

Why Contact Your Governor

Many states require that one of their citizens request that events such as Pollinator Week be officially proclaimed. In 2009, 36 states officially declared Pollinator Week!
Please take a moment to sign and mail the letter below to your governor. Your effort is making Pollinator Week 2010 a great success!

How to Contact Your Governor

The following documents are available for download; a list containing governor contact information and a sample letter that can be easily customized

Do you have a National Pollinator Week event you'd like to post on this page?
Send an email to info@pollinator.org with the subject title "Post My NPW Event". Also, send pictures after the event is complete to post!


Click here to learn more about National Pollinator Week 2009

Click here to learn more about National Pollinator Week 2008

Click here to learn more about National Pollinator Week 2007

Order FREE pollinator items here!

2010 Pollinator Week Events by U.S. Region


2010 Pollinator Week International Events



United States

Alabama 

By proclamation, Governor Bob Riley declared June 21-27, 2010 Pollinator Week in the State of Alabama.

Arkansas

By proclamation, Governor Mike Beebe declared June 21-27, 2010 Pollinator Week in the State of Arkansas.

June 25 - June 26, 2010 Mount Magazine Butterfly Festival XIV

Celebrate Arkansas Pollinator Week and immerse yourself in this unique resource rich in butterfly diversity. Guest speakers and park interpreters lead walks and talks exploring butterfly biology and gardening. Children of all ages enjoy the popular Bug Bonanza Pavilion, which includes live insects, games, and make-and-take crafts. Browse the Logan County Master Gardeners' plant sale for the next addition to your garden. Don't miss the special concert Saturday night that closes out this natural festival!
Visit www.MountMagazineStatePark.com or call (479) 963-8502 for more information. Admission: Free

Arizona 

By proclamation, Governor Janice K. Brewer declared June 21-27, 2010 Pollinator Week in the State of Arizona.


Celebrate National Pollinator Week 2010! in the Sonoran Desert
What: A three day long celebration of native pollinators (bees, birds, bats, butterflies) and native Sonoran Desert flowering plants in the verdant 49 acre gardens of Tohono Chul Park in NW Tucson, AZ
Main Event: Saturday, June 26th 9 AM to 5PM
An all day celebration of pollinators with six free lectures and several workshops (macro photography, bird banding, pollinator gardening), along with displays/exhibits by 12 local environmental organizations and Tohono Chul Park. A photography contest open to AZ residents (with prizes announced and winning prints displayed at Tohono Chul) will also be part of the celebration. Winners will be announced during the festivities on June 26th. On the previous Thursday and Friday nights, two special lectures will be presented. Speakers during the event will include Drs. Stephen Buchmann and Ted Fleming, along with Christie Williamson and others yet to be determined.
Co-sponsors of the event are the Pollinator Partnership, Tohono Chul Park, Bat Conservation International and Tucson Audubon.
Learn about the photo contest here in pdf and online here http://www.tohonochulpark.org/wordpress/gardens/pollinator-week/

Click here for a printable PDF flyer on the Arizona events.


Our first stop on the “Eco-Fun” Tour is Tohono Chul Park where they are celebrating National Pollinator week from June 21-27.  Just in case you didn’t know… Tohono Chul Park is located in Tucson Arizona. An award winning park where nature, art and culture connect. Named one of the World’s Great Botanical Gardens by Travel + Leisure and listed by National Geographic Traveler as one of the top 22 Secret Gardens in the U.S. and Canada, there is something for everyone. This oasis in the desert offers a respite from the hectic pace of daily life, provides an informative look at the region’s fascinating cultural traditions.

Along with Bat Conservation International, the Pollinator Partnership and Tucson Audubon Society, Tohono Chul Park invites you to celebrate National Pollinator Week  June 21 to 27. You will discover Bats, Birds, Butterflies and Bees. In addition, beginning Monday, June 21, finalists in the Pollinators in Action digital photography contest will be on display in the Education Center Classroom #1 through July 5 (closed on June 27 and July 4). From 9am to 4pm on Saturday, June 26, visit the Sonoran Seasons Garden and Children’s Ramadas and talk with representatives of local “pollinator and plant” organizations like Tucson Audubon, Bat Conservation International and the Sky Island Alliance. Awards for the Pollinators in Action photography contest will be presented in the Performance Garden at 2pm. To register for any lecture or workshop, call520- 742-6455 ext. 228.

Please join Tohono Chul Park for a week that promises to be educational and fun. Click here to read more!!!

Even 105 degree oven-like heat and sun couldn't keep the pollinator and plant fans (over 300 park visitors) away from lectures, demonstrations and workshops at the 50 acre Tohono Chul nature park in NW Tucson, Arizona. Co-sponsored by the Pollinator Partnership, Tohono Chul Park, Bat Conservation International and Tucson Audubon, a full week of events culminated in a "Pollinator Day" on Saturday, June 26th. Lectures that week included "Hummingbirds: More than Just Eye Candy" by Sheri Williamson, Director of the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory, "Sonoran Desert Bees: Trouble in Paradise?" by Dr. Stephen Buchmann of the Pollinator Partnership and Univ. AZ, "Gardening for Butterflies and the Caterpillars that Become Them!" by author, naturalist and gardener Lynn Hassler, "Nectar-feeding Bats & Hummingbirds" by Dr. Ted Fleming, University of Arizona, "Surviving Climate Change" by Dr. Melanie Lenart, award-winning journalist and science writer, and "Orioles, Woodpeckers and other Lesser-Known Pollinators" by ornithologist and Tucson Audubon executive director Paul Green. An exhibit of 20 winning photographic prints from the statewide "Pollinators in Action" photography contest are on display from June 17 to July 5th in the Tohono Chul education building.
Contest winners were acknowledged in a public ceremony and accepted various donated prizes totalling more than $500. Steve Buchmann taught a free macro photography workshop on June 26th. Tables were staffed by many local environmental organizations all day June 26th.
These included; the Audubon Society, Bat Conservation International, the Sonoran Desert Alliance, the friends of the Ironwood Forest, the Sky Island Alliance, Gardening Insights, the Pollinator Partnership, Sonoran Arthropod Studies, Pima County Parks & Recreation, Arizona Game & Fish. Even so, next year when we repeat the event, we'll likely hold at night!

Jason Corbet (Bat Conservation International) answers questions from a mother and daughter who stopped to find out all about local bats.

Participants take a break indoors from the AZ sun as they look at a demonstration of sunlight diffusers, in a photo workshop given by Steve Buchmann.



Paul Green, Executive Director of the Arizona Audubon Society gives a presentation about bird pollinators around the world.


Two Audubon staff wait for the gates to open. A quite time before park visitors converged on the information and display tables during pollinator week at Tohono Chul Park.
Dedicated photo enthusiasts stalk a fiery skipper (butterfly) on a floss flower during pollinator week at Tohono Chul Park in Tucson, Arizona.

California 

By proclamation, Mayor Kathy McKeithen declared June 21-27, 2010 Pollinator Week in the Town of Atherton, California.


Letter of support from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of the State of California.

Colorado 

By proclamation, Governor Bill Ritter Jr. declared June 21-27, 2010 Pollinator Week in the State of Colorado.

Delaware 

The Historic Lewes Farmers Market will celebrate the beginning of National Pollinator Week 2010 at our June 19th Market Day. 
 
Faith Kuehn, Plant Industries Administrator for the Delaware Department of Agriculture will present "The Pollinator Friendly Garden" to adults and children from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM in the demonstration area of the Market..  Her interest in native bees began about 5 years ago, prompted by an inquiry from Delaware's State Apiarist.  Funding was obtained from Northeast SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program) to finance an ongoing project to catalog native bees in Delaware's vegetable production areas, and work with farmers to establish bee conservation practices.  The Delaware Department of Agriculture publication, Delaware Native Plants for Native Bees  (6.88MB) will be available for attendees.
 
Dave Baues of Baues' Busy Bees, a Market vendor, will follow Faith's presentation.  He will share experiences and details of beekeeping.
 
In addition, Lewes Children's Librarian, Maureen Miller, will spotlight bees and butterflies in her story hour from 9 AM - 10 AM.
 
Books on pollination will be available for sale at the Historic Lewes Farmers Market information table.

For more information on "Farming for Native Pollinators" in Delaware, visit http://dda.delaware.gov/plantind/pollinator.shtml
Located in the Lewes Historic Complex in the heart of Lewes, Delaware, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market is a non-profit, producer only farmers market held each Saturday from May 29 until October 9 from 8:00 AM until Noon.


The Brandywine Zoo will be celebrating National Pollinators Week June 21 to 27.
There will be a variety of guests throughout the week to share experiences as  honey bee keepers with their bee keeping equipment for kids to explore and understand how a bee hive is set up, a solitary bee keeper and his bee knowledge, a bee keeper rendering honey bees wax , birds as pollinators, discovery carts throughout the zoo, story time every day during the week and Zoo Keeper Talks related to pollinators. During the week many of the activities will run 10 am to 1 pm, on Saturday  and Sunday they are 10 am to 3:45 pm.  On Saturday Faith  Kuehn, Plant Industries Administrator for the Delaware Department of Agriculture will present "The Pollinator Friendly Garden" to adults and children from the Delaware Department of Agriculture between 10 am to noon. We are also showcasing our new "Pollinators Garden Exhibit."

Florida

By proclamation, Governor Charlie Crist declared June 21-27, 2010 Pollinator Week in the State of Florida.


Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge will sponsor its third annual Pollinator Day Saturday June 26th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The event will include a guided tour of the Marsh trail at 10:00 a.m. and a guided Cypress Boardwalk tour at 1:00 p.m. to observe pollinators at work

Enjoy honey tasting from local beekeepers, and exotic ones from around the world.  There will also be a display of foods that are only possible because of pollination by the honey bee.

The day will also include Arts & Crafts, Face Painting, Bee Hives, storytelling, Candle making, and Power Point presentations on butterflies, birds, bees and their role in the pollination process.

22 June 2010 - Dade Chapter Florida Native Plant Society meeting
7:30 pm, at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Corbin Building, 10901 Old Cutler Road.
Free and open to the public. Refreshments begin at 7:15 pm. Merchandise sales are before and after the program (cash/check only). The plant raffle follows the program.

In Celebration of Pollinator Week! Dr. Suzanne Koptur, Professor of Biology at Florida International University, will present Gardening for Pollinators with Pine Rockland Wildflowers


Naples, Florida –June 22, 2010 – Guests of Lemon Tree Inn of Naples, Florida released 3,000 ladybugs this weekend in celebration of National Pollinator Week. Ladybugs are a natural pesticide control and eat aphids, mites and other pests that harm plants. Earlier this year the boutique hotel installed a butterfly garden with help from avid gardener and super model Hunter Reno, who installs organic gardens at homes, schools and parks.  The ladybug release was such a success with guests that the hotel plans on releasing ladybugs as needed by the plants.

 “It is all part of our effort to enhance our guests’ experience at Lemon Tree Inn,” said Rob DeCastro, General Manager of Lemon Tree Inn, “This makes our courtyard garden more interactive, eco-friendly and, though small, it does have a positive impact on the area as we are helping pollinators like butterflies. Pollinators like butterflies help keep the flowers blooming from town to the farms and through the Everglades.” The hotel reports that since creating the butterfly garden, the butterfly population has quadrupled.

Lemon Tree Inn offers a Pollination Package, conceived after the recent reopening of the Naples Botanical Garden. The Pollination Package includes three nights at the hotel including taxes, two tickets to Naples Botanical Garden, a guide on how to build your own pollinator garden, and a packet of flower seeds to help get the garden started. The Pollination Package is $259 now through December 14, 2010 and $399 from Dec 15, 2010 – April 14, 2011. Rates are based on two people (double occupancy) for the three-night stay. Additional nights are available at an additional charge.

 “One of the best surprises about Lemon Tree Inn is our garden which has lime trees, tropical flowering bushes and a variety of palms.,” says Sid Kalmans, owner of Lemon Tree Inn, a charming tropical hotel in the heart of Old Naples, Florida. “The Pollination Package allows them to explore and learn about gardens and pollinators, all while enjoying a relaxing vacation.”

The courtyard garden at Lemon Tree Inn is designed to attract pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds, which in turn pollinate plants and trees all over Naples. By reducing its pesticide use and using more organic alternatives, Lemon Tree Inn has also taken steps to protect pollinators. During Pollinator Week, which is in June, Lemon Tree Inn will release butterflies and ladybugs to further encourage pollination and eco-friendly plant care. Butterflies are among the top pollinators and ladybugs are ravenous eaters of aphids, mites and other pests that damage plants.
The Lemon Tree Inn is a locally owned boutique hotel with a Caribbean spirit. Guest rooms open up to a lush, courtyard garden speckled with colorful Adirondack chairs and tropical foliage. Caribbean inspired décor from four-post mahogany and wicker sleigh beds to the carefully chosen artwork create a unique island theme in each guest room. Continental breakfast is served poolside and cold lemonade is available all day. Guests may rent bicycles for a quick ride to the beach, or explore fabulous shopping, galleries and restaurants located within walking distance just a block from the Inn. For more information or to book a reservation, call 888-800-LEMO or visit www.LemonTreeInn.com <http://www.lemontreeinn.com/index.htm> .
Georgia 
By proclamation, Governor Sonny Perdue declared June 21-27, 2010 Pollinator Week in the State of Georgia.


Each weekday, June 21-25, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. during National Pollinator Week 2010, we will have information and activities at our newly installed Pollinator Habitat* demonstration area in the parking lot adjacent to Confederate Hall in Stone Mountain Park, Stone Mountain, GA.  A temporary exhibit highlighting pollinators will be on display all week inside of Confederate Hall.

Pollinator Week posters will be available (while supplies last) as well as Georgia specific information about pollinators and creating a habitat for them.  Activities during the week will include games, crafts and making newspaper pots for seed plantings.

*Pollinator Habitat Certification is a program created by Monarchs Across Georgia.  Details and applications can be found at http://www.monarchsacrossga.org/MAGCertification.php.

Kansas 

Pollinator Workshop - NRCS Manhattan Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, Kansas
Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - 9:30 a.m. - Noon

“Your Future Flies on the Wings of Pollinators: Things You Should Know about Pollinators and Pollinations”
Speaker: Dr. Orley R. “Chip” Taylor, Founder and Director of Monarch Watch, Professor Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Register by May 28, by calling 785-539-8761

Wildflower and pollinator observation and habitat issues will be discussed.  Workshop is free. If you have special needs, please let the PMC know when you register. Please bring a lawn chair and bug spray and dress appropriately for the weather.  Please see Pollinator Workshop Flyer for more information.

Manhattan Plant Materials Center (PMC)
3800 South 20th Street
Manhattan, KS 66502
Richard Wynia, Plant Materials Center Manager
http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/kspmc/
http://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/

The following documents require Acrobat Reader.

News Release (PDF; 126 KB)
Pollinator Workshop Flyer (PDF; 144 KB)

Idaho 

By proclamation, Mayor Nancy Chaney declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the City of Moscow, Idaho.


Perennials, Trees & Shrubs: June 21-28 is National Pollinator Week! Over 75% of our food crops (including chocolate and coffee!!) rely on bees, butterflies, bats, hummingbirds and small mammals for pollination. Plant some of their favorite flowers to encourage them to pollinate your crops. Agastache will bring in the butterflies and hummingbirds. All of our varieties will be 20% OFF through the end of the month. Here is a list of other plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Edwards Greenhouse
4106 Sand Creek Street
Boise, ID 83703

Illinois 

By proclamation, Governor Pat Quinn declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Illinois.

Indiana

By proclamation, Governor Mitch Daniels declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Indiana.


The LaPorte County Soil and Water Conservation District partnered with Save the Dunes and the Tryon Farm Institute to plant a large pollinator habitat at Tryon Farm in Michigan City, IN. Students came from the Lydia Home in Chicago, IL. They learned about the process and importance of pollination, played a few pollinator games, and then planted a large pollinator garden! The students were also treated to a honeybee demonstration by resident bee keeper, Suzanne Baldwin Krause. After lunch, the students also learned about aquatic organisms and did some pond study work!

The event was made possible by dedicated education staff from Soil and Water and Save the Dunes. They are (pictured, left to right) Noelle Conklin, LaPorte County SWCD, Nicole Messacar, LaPorte County SWCD, Erin Crofton, Save the Dunes and Chloe Lawson, Save the Dunes.

Sunday, June 20 » 12-5 pm
Indianapolis Museum of Art

4000 Michigan Road
Indianapolis, Indiana 46208-3326

Bring the family and join the FREE celebration. A very special opening "Tip Off" will occur at Free Basket at the 38th Street Loop at 1 pm.
Learn more here.

Louisiana

By proclamation, Governor Bobby Jindal declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Louisiana.

Maine 

By proclamation, Governor John Elias Baldacci declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Maine.


The National Park Service, US Geological Survey, Maine Forest Service, Maine Entomological Society, University of Maine, and Acadia Partners for Science and Learning are pleased to sponsor the 8th annual bioblitz at Acadia National Park on July 30, 31, August 1 and 2.
This year, we will be targeting one of the largest orders of insects - sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. The event is open to professional entomologists, amateur naturalists, and other interested persons. As in the past, the event will be based at the park’s Schoodic Education and Research Center and collecting will be focused in the Schoodic section of the park. Lodging at the Schoodic Education and Research Center will be provided to participants at no charge; however space is limited, and will is available on a first-registered, first-served basis. Participants will only need to pay a small registration fee and food costs - meals will be provided by Acadia Partners for Science and Learning.

The event will begin with dinner on Friday evening followed by presentations about ongoing research or emerging issues of interest to the entomological community. Saturday morning will feature a workshop on collecting and identifying the Hymenoptera. The official bioBlitz will commence around noon and continue 24 hours till noon on Sunday. The remainder of Sunday and Monday morning will be focused with sorting, pinning, and identifying collected specimens. Lead taxonomists for the event will be Sam Droege from the US Geological Survey and Eleanor Groden and Frank Drummond from the University of Maine.

The final date for registration is June 18, 2010.Return registration forms to: June Devisfruto, Acadia National Park, Schoodic Education and Research Center, P.O Box 570, Winter Harbor, ME 0469.3 Information and the registration form are posted at the park’s web site: http://www.nps.gov/acad/naturescience/bioblitz.htm For more information, please contact me at Acadia National Park (david_manski@nps.gov or 207/288-8720). Please distribute this to others who may be interested.

Maryland

By proclamation, Governor Martin O'Malley declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Maryland.


Bowie, Maryland kicked off National Pollinator Week, and Maryland Pollinator Week on June 21, 2010 at the Bowie City Council meeting.  Former Mayor and Chair, Bowie Environmental Advisory Committee, Gary Allen talked about pollinators, and he gave Governor O'Malley's "Maryland Pollinator Week" proclamation to Mayor Robinson and City Council Members (to view the City Council Meeting, go to http://cityofbowie.org/studio.asp, select June 21, and view the "Citizen Participation" portion of the agenda).  
In Bowie, the Bowie Gardens for Wildlife Habitat Team is partnering with local retailers to celebrate Pollinator Week -- MOM's Organic Market, Patuxent Nursery, and Polyxenes--A Wild Bird & Nature Store are all celebrating this week.  Each store is raising awareness with their customers about the importance of pollinators.  The Bowie Gardens for Wildlife Habitat Team is comprised of local volunteers who work in conjunction with the Bowie Environmental Advisory Committee.  Their mission is to meet or exceed the National Wildlife Federation's Community Wildlife Habitat requirements by providing education about how to create wildlife habitat and by supporting a "community" of environmental stewards.  National Pollinator Week and Maryland Pollinator Week provide a wonderful opportunity for the Habitat Team to encourage homeowners, business owners, schools, and others to provide habitat for pollinators.
The Bowie Gardens for Wildlife Habitat Team thanks Patuxent Nursery for celebrating Pollinator Week with us!  Patuxent Nursery is displaying posters and fact sheets about pollinators and the local Community Wildlife Habitat effort.  In response to customer demand for native plants, Patuxent Nursery identifies Maryland natives, and native cultivars, with a special sign displaying the Maryland flag.  Customers can place orders for plants native to the region to create habitat and to support pollinators.  Cheers to Patuxent Nursery!

Michigan 
Kids See Pollinators Up Close at Buhr Park!
NOTICE, the date has been moved back to August 28, 2010 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM at Buhr Park in Ann Arbor kids can see pollinators up close. The third annual observation of National Pollinator Week will feature live insects in jars or terrariums for safe close-up observation. An entomologist will talk about how pollination leads to seeds and fruit. Then children can search the native plants for eggs, larvae and adult insects. Co-sponsored by Buhr Park Childrens Wet Meadow project, City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation and Wild Ones – Native Plants, Native Landscapes. Everyone is welcome including kids of all ages and their parents.  Bring hats, sunscreen, and a picnic if you wish. (Please leave pets at home.)  There is no charge.  Buhr Park is located at 2781 Packard Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48108.  For more information, phone Mark at 734-478-1333


June 28, Monday, 7:00pm "Beekeeping 101: Supporting Pollinators & Urban Honeybees"
Location: Michigan Avenue Branch of the Ypsilanti District Library,
229 West Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, MI 48197 Contact information: Lisa Bashert, lisa@ypsifoodcoop.org, 734-483-6420

Beekeeping 101 - Find out about how to support pollinators in your yard and learn the importance of urban honeybees. Through its Local Honey Project, the Ypsilanti Food Coop has just placed five new hives at the Co-op, Growing Hope Center and The Farm at St. Joe's. Our goals are to teach about beekeeping with natural management practices, make more local honey available, support heathy, Michigan-adapted honeybee colonies, and encourage local entrepreneurism. Lisa Bashert of Ypsi Food Co-op will present this program and is also looking for volunteers to join the beekeepers of the Local Honey Project. Sponsored by Ypsilanti Food Co-op

Minnesota

June 12, 2010 (Saturday) at 10 am - See dazzling spring flowers, such as wild lupine, hoary puccoon, columbine and wild geranium, on a Wildflower Tour of prairie openings in the oak savanna at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, June 12 beginning at 10:00 a.m. This free tour celebrates National Pollinator Week. Tour participants meet at the Old School House on Co. Rd. 9 and car-pool to the Wildlife Drive.
Contact: Nancy Haugen (Email: nancy_haugen@fws.gov; Phone: 763-389-3323 Ext. 13)

Pollinator Day Open House
Saturday, June 19, 2010
9—11 AM
Sponsored by the Big Lake Park Advisory Committee & The Sherburne Soil & Water Conservation District
McDowall Park
Big Lake
Learn Why Pollinators are Important & How You Can Provide For Them in Your Own Backyard!
- Build a birdhouse
- Build a Bee Hotel
- Help plant a butterfly garden
- Build a pollinator sundae
- Tips for backyard bird feeding & More!
A limited number of Free Back yard Pollinator Habitat Kits will be available call to eserve yours! Gina or Bill 7632411170ext. 3
Download Flier
Mississippi
By proclamation, Governor Haley Barbour declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Mississippi.

Missouri

By proclamation, Governor Jay Nixon declared June 21-27, 2010 Pollinator Week in the State of Missouri.

Missouri Botanical Garden
On Saturday, June 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Jefferson County Beekeepers’ Association will be available at the Garden’s Kemper Center for Home Gardening. Visitors can ask the experts about bees and beekeeping, get an up-close look at beekeeping equipment and gear, and learn more about this increasingly popular hobby.

Families can stop by the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden anytime in June to explore the power of pollination at three drop-in Germination Stations. “Pollination Pals” invites children to dress up like their favorite pollinator and visit large flowers in the Pollination Garden. Discuss which flowers you like best and learn which flowers are favored by certain pollinators. “Pollination Picnic” takes a closer look at foods that we owe to pollinators, and what would happen if these pollinators disappeared. “Traveling Pollen” features hand puppets that kids can use to “feed” on nectar in flowers. Learn how bees carry pollen on their legs and discover the other ways pollinators help pollen travel. Germination Stations are included with Children’s Garden admission of $5 for ages 3 to 12; adults are included with general Garden admission.

Join Great Green Adventures on Saturday, June 19 at 10:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. for “What’s All the Buzz About?” Explore the benefits of insects, search for them in the Garden and learn ways to help them at home. Great Green Adventures are $3 per child, in addition to general Garden admission.

Adults can join their favorite youngster age 4 to 6 for Pitzman Nature Study: “Busy Birds” on Saturday, June 26 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Discover why birds find the Garden such a wonderful place to live and decorate a birdhouse to take home. Class cost is $18 and includes one child and one adult; register online at www.mobot.org/classes.

The Missouri Botanical Garden open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, located at 4344 Shaw Blvd. in south St. Louis. General admission is $8; St. Louis City and County residents enjoy discounted admission of $4 and free admission on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until noon. Children ages 12 and under and Garden members are free. For more information, visit www.mobot.org or call (314) 5775100.

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House
Pollinators are the star attraction at the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House everyday! Witness more than 1,000 tropical butterflies in free-flight inside the 8,000-square-foot tropical conservatory. Step outside to the backyard Butterfly Garden to learn about nectar sources that attract butterflies and get planting inspiration for your own backyard.

Children ages 2 to 4 with an adult can enjoy a special Bugaloo class on “Celebrating Seasons: Spring.” Explore the new blossoms and babies that the spring season brings through age-appropriate games and activities on Friday, June 11 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. or Sunday, June 13 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Cost is $18 per class and includes one child and one adult; register at www.mobot.org/classes.

The Butterfly House is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, located at 15193 Olive Blvd. at Faust Park in Chesterfield, Mo. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 3 to 12. For more information, visit www.butterflyhouse.org or call (636) 530-0076.

Shaw Nature Reserve
The Shaw Nature Reserve encompasses 2,400 acres of natural Ozark Border landscape, home to countless pollinators residing in its diverse plant communities. All during June, children can stop by the Visitors’ Center to pick up a pollinator activity sheet to help guide their own outdoor exploration.

Friday, June 11, bring your 4 to 6-year-old for Pitzman Nature Study: “Over in the Garden” from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Youngsters will explore the new blossoms and babies of the spring season through games and activities designed with their age in mind. Cost is $18 and includes one child plus accompanying adult; register in advance at www.mobot.org/classes.
Saturday, June 19 from 9:30 a.m. to noon, join a class for adults on Wildflower ID and Ecology. Take an in-depth look at pollination adaptations in plants and the insects they are associated with. Both beginners and serious students of wildflowers can increase their knowledge and appreciation of the Reserve’s woods, prairie and wetland by exploring the identification, relationships and habitats of wildflowers. Wear comfortable hiking clothes and shoes, and bring a field notebook to journal your discoveries. Class cost is $21 and advance registration is required; visit www.mobot.org/classes  to enroll.

The Shaw Nature Reserve is open from 7 a.m. to sunset daily; the Visitors’ Center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The Reserve is located on Interstate 44 in Gray Summit, Mo. at exit #253 (two exits west of Allenton/Eureka). Admission is $3 for adults and free for children ages 12 and under. For more information, visit www.shawnature.org or call (636) 451-3512.

EarthWays Center
The Garden’s EarthWays Center wants to help people catch the beekeeping buzz with a Field Trip: Backyard Beekeeping on Thursday, June 3 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Enjoy a summer evening visit to local artist Joy Stinger’s suburban home beeyard as you learn the what, why and how of this increasingly popular eco-hobby during the bees’ most productive time of year. Class cost is $25; register in advance at www.mobot.org/classes. Directions will be sent prior to the field trip.

The EarthWays Center promotes sustainability through environmental education and is open for public tours on the third weekend of every month at 11 a.m., noon, 1 and 2 p.m. at 3617 Grandel Square in Grand Center. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children ages 12 and under. For more information, visit www.earthwayscenter.org  or call (314) 577-0220.

To view Missouri Botanical Garden's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-1032-Missouri_Botanical_Garden

Montana 
By proclamation, Governor Brian Schweitzer declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Montana.
Nebraska
By proclamation, Governor Dave Heineman declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Nebraska.

New Jersey 

Hamilton, Mercer County, New Jersey
The Mercer County Soil Conservation District will host a Pollinator Picnic on June 24th, 2010, from 4pm to 7pm. This free event is open to the public and will include a variety of games, crafts and activities for children as well as presentations for adults. Presenters will include Rutgers Assistant Professor and Native Bee Specialist Rachael Winfree, Master Beekeeper and Mason Bee Specialist Melissa Palmer, and Mercer County Horticulturist Barbara Bromley. Families are asked to bring a picnic dinner and blanket. Light refreshments will be provided. The event will continue in light rain, but will be cancelled in the case of severe weather. For details, visit http://mercerscd.org/education/pollinators.htm or call (609)586-9603


Essex County Environmental Center, Roseland, New Jersey 
30 monarchs and 20 painted ladies as well as some caterpillars and chrysalises from Rainbow’s End Butterfly Farm with host and nectar plants were placed it all in a 10x10 tent surrounded by mesh.  Families registered for 10 minute time slots to enter the tent.  They were also provided foam brushes with purple Gatorade to pick-up and hold the butterflies.  Crafts and activities related to butterflies and pollination were led in our classroom.  They included making seed balls and learning about the importance of pollinator plants, looking at wings through a microscope, creating butterfly wing symmetry art, painting egg carton caterpillars and more.  
After the event, the plants in the tent went into our  butterfly/bee pollinator garden and the butterflies were released.  We kept the tent up for about one week so that our summer campers would have the opportunity to enter as well.  

New Mexico 

By proclamation, Governor Bill Richardson declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of New Mexico.


Pollinators and Plants, Albuquerque, New Mexico
June 26, 2010 (Saturday), noon to 1 pm at the Albuquerque BioPark Education Building. Presentation on "Pollinators and plants: a relationship explored through a rare, New Mexican butterfly." This is part of a Pollinator Celebration at the Botanic Garden from 10 am to 2 pm. See event description at: http://www.cabq.gov/biopark/common/juneevents.html#BGPoll
The Education Building is located between the Aquarium and the Botanic Garden entrance. For more information contact: Julie McIntyre, Endangered Species Biologist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, phone: 505.248.6507 or e-mail:Julie_McIntyre@fws.gov OR Morgan Janiak, Rio Grande Botanic Garden Education Specialist, Albuquerque BioPark, phone: 505.848.7172 or e-mail: mjaniak@cabq.gov


Every year, the Wild Friends – New Mexico students in grades 4-12 –  write legislation to help the state's wildlife. During the legislative session, many of the young people travel to the Capitol in Santa Fe to convince the lawmakers to pass their legislation. This year, the Southwest’s birds, bees, beetles, bats and butterflies got a boost when the students pushed through twin memorials requesting the state to take various actions to promote the use of pollinator-friendly plants, including proclaiming “New Mexico Pollinator Week”.  Wild Friends is a program of the Center for Wildlife Law at the University of  New Mexico School of Law.  Information about the program is available at http://wildfriends.unm.edu

Wild Friends groups from several schools brought the Pollinator Partnership's "Pollination Equation" poster art depicting pollinator importance in human food crops and medicines. Horizon Academy West held up 20 original art drawings of plants and their pollinators for the lawmakers to see and study. The "Pollination Equation" poster art showed that native plants provide superior habitats for native pollinators and that the decline of pollinators threatens global food and biodiversity.
See the PDF for more images and info.

New York

By proclamation, Mayor Paul A. Dyster declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the City of Niagara Falls, New York.


Freshkills Park Field Trip: Greenbelt Native Plant Center | Friday, June 25th at 2:30 pm

Please join the Freshkills Park development team on a guided tour of the Parks Department’s Greenbelt Native Plant Center (GNPC) on Staten Island. The GNPC is a 13–acre greenhouse, nursery, and seed bank complex specializing in the collection, cultivation and production of locally native plant material for use in habitat restoration within New York City. They will also be operating a seven-acre native seed farm and a 750-tree nursery within the North Park section of the Freshkills Park site, as well as advising and contributing to large-scale rehabilitation of the site’s habitats. The GNPC is not usually open for public tours, but on June 25th, to celebrate National Pollinator Week, Director Ed Toth will be walking us through their facilities and describing their many projects.

Friday, June 25th at 3 p.m. at the Greenbelt Native Plant Center, 3808 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island. This event is free, but registration is required. To RSVP, please email doug.elliott@parks.nyc.gov or call (212) 788-8277.


Bees Up Close and Personal
by Katherine Wells, Jun 23, 2010

This week bee lovers around the country are celebrating National Pollinator Week. Let’s give those bees (and butterflies, beetles, bats, and birds) some credit: the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that a third of the food humans consume comes from insect-pollinated plants.

Photographer Rose-Lynn Fisher thinks bees are not just useful, but beautiful, too. In the introduction to her book of photographs, BEE, Fisher says the revelation that bee eyes – made up of thousands of hexagonal lenses – match the structure of the honeycomb, got her thinking: “Is there a parallel kind of encoding relevant to humanity? At a refined level of our own nature, does our deeper capacity to see and do correspond with an intrinsic structuring?”

That symbolic connection between form and function motivated Fisher to look deeper – or at least more closely. Using a high-res scanning electron microscope, Fisher reveals the intricate, complex structure of bee anatomy. Under this lens, her subjects’ eyes, legs, and antennae become awe-inspiring abstract landscapes, snapping into focus just how much we can’t see with the naked eye.

You can view these photographs in person through July 3 at Farmani Gallery in Brooklyn. If you can’t make it to the gallery, check out Fisher’s book, BEE, available here.

North Carolina

By proclamation, Governor Beverly Perdue declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of North Carolina.

Johnston County Pollinator Festival
In celebration of National Pollinator Week, Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center and Johnston County Cooperative Extension Service will host a day of fun and educational activities for the whole family at Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center on June 26, 2010 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Events include pollinator garden tours, crafts, making bee nesting bundles, visiting with vendors and beekeepers, “What’s The Buzz on Native Pollinators?” classes and beekeeping presentations. Join us for one program, or come out for the whole day. Bring a picnic lunch, see the live animal exhibits, explore the nature trails and experience the beauty and awe of Howell Woods. There is no charge for this event. Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center is located at 6601 Devil’s Racetrack Road, Four Oaks, NC 27524. For more information contact Katrina McDougald at mcdougaldk@howellwoods.org or (919) 938-0115 ext. 115. Find out more about Howell Woods at www.howellwoods.org. Pollinators positively affect all our lives-let’s SAVE them and CELEBRATE them!



Celebrate pollinators in Raleigh!

It's National Pollinator Week. There are at least two celebrations in the Triangle:

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Pittsboro's Chatham Mills, which is home to Chatham Marketplace. There will be presentations on how to become a beekeeper by local beekeepers, a tour of the pollinator garden and a bee cage, plus lots of activities for the children.

For more information, go to bit.ly/c1Y2mQ.

From 9 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in Four Oaks. There will be pollinator garden tours, beekeeping presentations, live animal exhibits and natural trails. The center is at 6601 Devils Racetrack.

North Dakota 

By proclamation, Governor John Hoeven declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of North Dakota.

Ohio

The Montpelier North Wildlife Habitat Site is privately held land owned by The Shelly Company. The site is certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council. This site is not open to the general public at this time. We are holding this event as a community outreach to Local Nature Groups, 4H, Boy’s & Girl Scout Leaders, Educators, Government Agencies, Local Officials and  Neighbors to grow their support for Wildlife Habitat Development including Habitats for Pollinators in Montpelier, Williams County, Ohio Area.
Check out the flier here.

Oklahoma

Celebrating National Pollinator Week at Oxley Nature Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma (the 32nd state to declare National Pollinator Week in 2009!)

Our Future Flies on the Wings of Pollinators

Join us at Oxley to celebrate National Pollinator Week, June 21-27. During this week we'll have special exhibits and handouts available. Drop in and visit our gardens and meet some pollinators.

Special Scheduled Events include:
Friday, June 25, Full Honey Moon Walk, 7:00-8:30 p.m. You must pre-register, Fee is $2 per person for non-members.
Friday, June 25, Black Lighting for Moths and Beetles 8:30-10:30 p.m. On the deck at Oxley.
Saturday, June 26: Most events are free and no registration required.
Best Costume Contest! Come dressed as your favorite bee, beetle, bat or butterfly! Prizes will be awarded in each different age category.
Make and Take Bee Habitat: Make a simple wooden solitary bee habitat for your garden; improve your harvest!
Important Bites: Find out the foods we depend on our pollinators for. Where would we be without nuts, chocolate, coffee, spices, vegetables and fruits? ... Hungry!
Face Painting! Add a butterfly to your cheek! Here’s a question — what colors attract different pollinators?

For further details please call or check our website or facebook page! oxleynaturecenter.org 918-669-6644

Oregon

2nd Annual Farmscaping with Native Plants Field Day - NRCS Corvallis Plant Materials Center, Corvallis Oregon
Tuesday, June 1, 2010 - 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

A collaborative event of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Plant Materials Center, the Integrated Plant Protection Center at Oregon State University,
and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. The conservation experts at the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Plant Materials Center in Corvallis are teaming up with Oregon State researchers, native plant retailers, and insect enthusiasts to bring you a very special field day.

TO REGISTER CONTACT: Gwendolyn Ellen, 541-737-6272, gwendolyn@science.oregonstate.edu

The following documents require Acrobat Reader.

2nd Annual Farmscaping with Native Plants Field Day Flyer (PDF; 800 KB)

Pennsylvania 

By proclamation, Governor Edward G. Rendelli declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Pennsylvania.


2nd Annual " What's the Buzz at Young's Woods Park "

AmeriCorps, Lycoming County Master Gardeners and the City of Williamsport will again sponsor The Buzz on Saturday June 26th from 11am to 3pm. Come out and see how our pollinator garden has grown this past year. Helen Grosso Master Gardener and AmeriCorps member will present How to Be Pollinator Friendly. Play a couple of holes of pollinator mini golf. Children can meet D.B. Pest robot and he'll answer their questions. Robot and mini golf are all courtesy of Penn State University. Learn about worm composting from Master Gardener Carmen Bush. Enjoy the children's songs by AmeriCorps member Michael Miller. Meet Carol McNamee Master Gardener for information on bulbs. Plenty of activities for the children. They can make a bee, butterfly or caterpillar at the crafts table. There will be face and hand painting. Play a round of Ladder Golf. Basketball and Volleyball court will be open.Stay tuned for further details presenters are still being booked. The park is located at Railway St and Menne Alley, 1.5 blocks off of Washington Blvd ( Choice store and Turkey Hill Store ) Come out for a free educational and fun day! All this while learning to be a Pollinator Pal. For more info e-mail Helen Grosso at Lycomgevent@yahoo.com


Edge of the Woods native Plant Nursery is a retail nursery in the Lehigh Valley of PA.  We are the only regional nursery specializing in native plants.  During pollinator week, we will highlight plants that are beneficial to pollinators, and culminate the week on Saturday June 26 with an opportunity to explore nature in conjunction with the Three Bs Nature Center.  Bud Cole of Three B’s Nature Center will be at the nursery from 10 am to 1:30 to show how pollination works to sustain plant and animal life—not to mention food production.  At 11 am there will be a special family activity --“The Birds and the Bees with the Three B’s” -- involving children and adults and exploring pollination.

For more information visit www.edgeofthewoodsnursery.com


Spring Garden Farms Inc.
1585 Main St
Birdsboro, PA 19508
We are a certified Backyard Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation and we will have a huge selection of herbs, annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs on sale for National Pollinator Week.  Including parsley, dill, zinnias, salvia, lantana, penta, black - eyed susans, blazing star, flowering trees such as dogwood and redbud, lilacs, and much more.  Significant savings on each purchase.  Trees and shrubs starting at 30% off.  Find us on Facebook for more information.  
610-582-8703
springgardenfarms.biz

Pollinator Week event at the Wagner Free Institute of Science:
 
Join us on Friday, June 25th, from 10-11:00 AM, as the Wagner Free Institute of Science celebrates National Pollinator Week by planting a new Native Pollinator Garden.
Organized groups are encouraged to attend. All participants must RSVP by Tuesday, June 22nd to Sabrina at 215-763-6529 x15 or reservations@wagnerfreeinstitute.org.
The Wagner Free Institute of Science is located at 1700 W. Montgomery Avenue in North Philadelphia. Please note: This event has no rain date. A Museum visit is not included with this event.
Funding for this project has been generously donated by the Philadelphia Zoo Community Conservation Grant Program.

Rhode Island

By proclamation, Governor Donald Carcieri declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Rhode Island.

Bees Butterflies and Birds, Oh My!! on June 19, 2010 at 10 am for ages 3-6: What do bees butterflies and bats have in common? Let's find out together. We'll see some pictures, look for a butterfly in our exhibits, visit our new butterfly garden and then walk down the trail looking for "busy bees" and "bouncing butterflies" out on our wildlife refuge. We also have bee houses for you to take home and give your garden a boost of "Vitamin Bee!" Join USFWS at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center at Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge in Charlestown, RI, on June 19, 2010 (Saturday) from 10 am to noon. For more information contact: Charles Bullington by e-mail at: Charles_Bullington@fws.gov, or phone: 401.364.9124, ext. 44. For directions go to: http://www.fws.gov/ninigret/complex/driving.html

South Carolina 

By proclamation, Governor Mark Sanford declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of South Carolina.


What: North American Butterfly Association count at Congaree National Park will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 26.
To make reservations, call (803) 647-3966. No experience is necessary. Participants must wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Sun protection, water and food are recommended, as are binoculars.

An official count will be held June 26 when volunteers and park rangers scatter across a 15-mile radius at the Congaree swamp to see how many different species of butterflies they can identify.

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2010/05/23/1299103/nature-lovers-prepare-for-butterfly.html#ixzz0pARFk8xD


Celebrating National Pollinator Week in Darlington, SC at the County Courthouse there was a Pollinator Awareness Day on Thursday, June 24, 2010, with refreshments and a display of literature describing the importance of pollinators to our food and ecosystems.  Darlington is home to many fine gardeners and agriculture is a vital part of the local economy. Judges and attorneys, as well as county officials and employees were quite interested in finding out what they could do to make a difference. Educational materials from Pollinator Partnership as well as links to the website helped everyone receive valuable information that they looked forward to putting into practice.
Tennessee
By proclamation, Governor Phil Bredesen declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Tennessee.

Texas 

By proclamation, Governor Rick Perry declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Texas.


Pollinator Celebration at the Houston Zoo, June 26th and 27th:
We will have information booths (from gardening for wildlife to building your own backyard bee house) and pollinator related activities for the kids at the Zoo both days from 10-4. We will also have "Meet the Keeper" chats from 9am-4pm every 30 minutes in various parts of the Zoo highlighting different animals and their role in pollination and seed dispersal.

Monarch Caterpillar on Milkweed 

Bringing Back the Buzz (Update)

Conroe, TX – Who is keeping our trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables alive and productive?

Why you should care? How can you help? These are just a few of the questions that will be addressed on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at the 4th Annual Pollinator Fest.

The Heartwood Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists presents Pollinator Fest as part of the 4th Annual National Pollinator Week, June 21 - 27. This year, the Texas Forest Service will host the event at the W G Jones State Forest, (1328 FM 1488, Conroe, TX 77384). Activities begin at 10:00 AM an end at 3:00 PM.

Admission to the Event is free. For more information about the event or about the Heartwood Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists, please call 936-273-2261 Ext 401, go to the Web Site: http://heartwoodtmn.org or email us president@heartwoodtmn.org.

This Festival provides the opportunity for the whole family to visit and enjoy the forest. While there, you will have the opportunity to learn more about how the forest works and the role pollinators play in our environment.

Several organizations collaborate with the Texas Master Naturalists to create Pollinator Fest including: the Pollinator Partnership, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the Texas Forest Service, Harris County Precinct 4 and the Montgomery County Beautification Association.

Talks at this year’s event include: Why Should We Care About Pollinators, Creating Pollinator-Friendly Gardens & Bats; Go Native – Native Plants in Your Yard; Local Bee Populations and How We Can Help; and The Fascinating World of Pollinators.

In addition to the talks, attendees will tour the large on-site butterfly gardens and view the water harvesting system that keeps them watered. There will also be Master Naturalists stationed at the demonstration beehive and the bat and bluebird habitats. Because W G Jones State Forest is the largest urban concentration of the endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, tours will be able visit the Woodpecker’s nesting areas while viewing some of the Forest’s unique environmental offerings.

Along with the speakers and tours, there will be booths from many local businesses, environmental organizations and food vendors. Pollinator-friendly plants will be available to purchase for your home, church, school or community garden.

In 2008, Heartwood Chapter member Betty Jensen, with the assistance of Congressman Kevin Brady successfully petitioned Governor Perry to join other US states in declaring first National Pollinator Week in Texas. This year, celebrations of National Pollinator Week will occur nationwide June 21 – 27 with activities teaching the role played in our lives by the pollinators. Pollinators include bats, bees, birds and butterflies.
 BACKGROUNDER

Continuous Tours

1.  Bee Hive

2.  Pollinator Gardens

3.  Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers Nests

4.  Bat Boxes & Bluebird Nest

5.  Water Harvesting Tank

Speakers

Time

Topic

Speaker

10:00 – 10:45

Why Should we care about Pollinators

Terry MacArthur

11:00 – 11:45

Creating Pollinator-Friendly Gardens & Bats

Diana Foss

12:00 – 12:45

Go Native – Native Plants in Your Yard

Diane Cabiness

1:00 - 1:45

Local Bee Populations And How We Can Help

Valerie Craft

2:00 - 2:45

The Fascinating World of Pollinators

Elissa Fletcher 

Speakers

Valerie Craft has been beekeeper for 10 years and is Vice President of Montgomery County Bee Keepers Association. For many years, she has taught classes and given demonstrations in schools and libraries. Valerie is a resident of Conroe, Texas.

Diane Cabiness is a Certified Master Naturalist and has owned Diane Cabiness’ Native Plant Nursery for 25 years. She is also a foundingmember of the Piney Woods Wildlife Society. She is speaking on Texas native plants in the landscape. There is a plant for you whether your yard is dry or wet, sunny or shady. 

Elissa Fletcher is a Certified Master Naturalist, an artist and a schoolteacher and will be speaking on pollinators other than the honeybee. What are they? Who are they? Where are they? Why are they so very important? She will share other interesting facts & folklore i.e. did you know that bees "dance" and butterflies have "puddle parties”?

Diana Foss has been an Urban Wildlife Biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. in thegreater Houston area for over 16 years. Diana currently serves as the TPWD advisor to theHeartwood Master Naturalist chapter and helps coordinate bat projects for the Houston Bat Team.

Teri MacArthur was one of the founding members of the Heartwood Chapter. She has been a Certified Master Naturalist since 2001; in 2007, she received the Kate Hillhouse Volunteer Service Award from the Chapter. Teri is also a Certified Water Quality Monitor and Water Quality Volunteer Trainer. She is currently the Environmental Education Coordinator for the Legacy Land Trust. Teri’s talk will include general information about the decline of pollinators and the need for more habitat such as pollinator gardens. in yards and designated pathways for pollinators.

Vermont 

By proclamation, Governor James H. Douglas declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Vermont.

Virginia 

National Pollinator Week Celebration: Saturday June 19, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Leesburg, VA

Take guided Butterfly, Wildflower, and Family Nature Hikes. Children will also be able to do pollinator activities with Virginia Master Naturalists. See a demonstration of the Banshee Reeks Bee Survey and find out how we are contributing to an international project in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey. Learn about Pollinator Gardens, Virginia Native Plants, and attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds to your backyard. Find out about the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s Annual Butterfly Count. See Loudoun Beekeepers Association information about Apiaries and Local Honey. For more information call 703-669-0316. For National Pollinator Week information visit www.pollinator.org.

For more, check out the Event Flier!

Washington 

By proclamation, Governor Christine Gregoire declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Washington.

Washington, DC 

Congressional Briefing for National Pollinator Week (Downloable Flier)
Thursday, June 24th at 3:00 PM
Longworth Office Building
Rm. 1302A
Washington, DC 20515

Open to the public, Members of Congress, Congressional Staff, Agency Personnel, and the press. Featuring pollinator treats- ice cream from Häagen-Dazs and lipbalm from Burt’s Bees!


Department of the Interior (DOI) Indian Craft Shop Celebrates National Pollinator Week with Pollinators in American Indian Art - a special highlight of American Indian arts at The Indian Craft Shop, located inside the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, DC.
June 16 – 27, 2010
1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 202-208-4056, pourians@guestservices.com

The purpose of National Pollinator Week is to raise public awareness of the importance of the birds, bees, bats, beetles, butterflies, moths and flies that are needed to produce 80 percent of our flowering plants and one third of our human food crops, and to teach pollinator-friendly practices. Across the country, the Pollinator Partnership is launching a “Think global; Act local” initiative to “Take Action for Pollinators." Log on to www.pollinator.org to see what you can do to help pollinators.

One of the many local, state and regional events planned is Pollinators in American Indian Art, a special highlight of American Indian arts at The Indian Craft Shop, located inside the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, DC. Works of art by American Indian artists from across the country have been gathered, including basketry, jewelry, beadwork, pottery, weavings and sculpture that depict pollinators as well the plants they pollinate. Enjoy the whimsy of Kathy Whitman’s jewelry and sculpture depicting hummingbirds, butterflies and flowers; the exceptional skills of potter Mary Louise Eteevan’s butterfly-lidded bowls; and the charm of a bee or hummingbird pin.

Many of today’s American Indian arts honor the elements of the living world, capturing their importance and their beauty – join us as we celebrate Pollinators in American Indian Art from June 16 – 27, 2010.

The Indian Craft Shop, managed by Guest Services, Inc., represents authentic American Indian arts and crafts from over 55 tribal areas within the United States. The Shop, open since 1938 and under historic preservation, is located inside the Department of the Interior, 18th & C Streets, NW, Washington, DC, 20240. For additional information, call 202-208-4056, email indiancraftshop@guestservices.com, or check the website at www.indiancraftshop.com.

While the Interior Museum is temporarily closed for modernization, there are public programs and tours of the Ansel Adams Mural Project and art in the building. For information, contact the Interior Museum 202-208-4743.

The public entrance to the U.S. Department of the Interior is at 18th & C Streets, NW. Handicap Access is available at 18th & E Streets. A photo ID is needed for access to the building. The Shop is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the third Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Images Available on request.

Contact: Susan Pourian, The Indian Craft Shop, U.S. Dept. of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 202-208-4056, pourians@guestservices.com


Celebrating Pollinators in June
The People’s Garden will be celebrating the importance of pollinators to agriculture and public land throughout June – as a prelude to the fourth annual National Pollinator Week being held from June 21-27, 2010. We will accomplish this goal by offering workshops, setting up a discovery cart and hosting a kick off event.

Workshops
We will raise public awareness by offering weekly workshops that provide practical information to gardeners about pollinators. Workshops will take place on Fridays from Noon to 1 pm in the People’s Garden.
Topics cover:

  • Native Bees, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
  • Pests and their Natural Enemies, USDA Agricultural Research Service Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory
  • Honey Bees, USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory
  • Planting for Pollinators, Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution

Discovery Cart
A discovery cart will be placed in the garden throughout June to engage young people. This non-formal education setting will give visitors an opportunity to discover the interactions of plants and pollinators through objects.

Pollinator Week Kick Off EventOn Monday, June 21st from 9:30 to 10:30 am in Room 107-A, the People’s Garden will host a panel discussion on pollinators in decline. Six leading experts will be invited to participate. Speakers have been identified from The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Pollinator Partnership, National Wildlife Federation, ARS, Smithsonian Institution and Native Pollinators in Agriculture.

After the panel discussion, exhibiting will take place outside the Whitten Building along Jefferson Drive to raise public awareness, promote conservation, protection and restoration of pollinator habitats until 2:00 pm. Various organizations will be invited to participate including AgroForestry, NRCS, FS, ARS, Pollinator Live, Monarch Watch and more.  


During the Inter-departmental National Pollinator Week Exhibit hosted on June 21, 2010 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists Steve Hilburger (Program Analyst, USGS Wildlife Program), Sam Droege (Wildlife Biologist, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and Coordinator of the USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory), and Elizabeth Sellers (Manager, Pollinators Project of the USGS National Biological Information Infrastructure) showcased examples of USGS pollinator research and biological informatics tools. Learn more on the NBII blog. * Photo: Elizabeth A. Sellers/NBII).

 



Photographs from the Inter-departmental National Pollinator Week Exhibit hosted on June 21, 2010 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), courtesy of Thomas Van Arsdall.

West Virginia

By proclamation, Governor Joe Manchin III declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of West Virginia.


North Bend State Park, Cairo, WV    www.northbendsp.com
September  2010  3rd - 6th ~ Labor Day Weekend
www.wvmonarchfestival.com  

Wisconsin

By proclamation, Governor Jim Doyle declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Wisconsin.

Wyoming

By proclamation, Governor Dave Freudenthal declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Wyoming.

Utah

By proclamation, Governor Gary R. Herbert declared June 21-27, 2010 as Pollinator Week in the State of Utah.

Discovering the World of Bees - Pollinator Workshop

The USDA-ARS Bee Biology & Systematics Laboratory and Utah State University Cooperative Extension have collaborated to create this first-time pollinator workshop for the public.  It will be held June 25, 2010, on the campus of Utah State University in Logan, UT starting at 8:00 am MST.

The morning session will include experts who will speak about the spectacular world of bees, pollination of crops, wild bees, and landscaping for pollinators.  The afternoon session will consist of the following hands-on workshops:

  1. Raising Bumble Bees- This workshop will provide methods for raising Western bumble bees.
  2. Managing Cavity-Nesting Bees- This workshop introduces solitary, cavity-nesting bees found in the Western U.S., with special attention given to blue orchard bees and alfalfa leafcutting bees.  Topics cover practical use as pollinators, managing for sustainable populations, and general attraction of these bees to home, garden, and crop.
  3. Landscaping for Pollinators- This workshop will present five intermountain native plants that are good pollinators and show how these plants can be used and managed as part of an attractive low water use landscape.
  4. Identifying Bees- Learn how to identify some common bees found in Utah and beyond.  Learn the difference between honey bees, bumble bees, sweat bees, squash bees, leafcutting bees, orchard bees, and more!
  5.  Bee Diseases- Come learn about a new approach to disease management for honey bees, including some new methods such as the use of ozone to decontaminate hives.  Also gain hands-on knowledge about what different bee diseases look like and their biology, including foulbrood, chalkbrood, Nosema, and varroa mites.
  6. Keeping Honey Bees- Like honey?  Need pollinators?  Wondering how much time, money, effort, and risk is involved to keep a hive?  This workshop is designed to help you decide if keeping honey bees is for you.  Topics include honey bee biology, beekeeping equipment, and management tasks.

Each workshop lasts the entire afternoon, so each attendee can select only one workshop. Please see out webpage for more information.

Registration is required to attend the presentations and workshop of your choice.  Lunch will be provided for each registered attendee.  Seats are limited so please register now at

http://www.ars.usda.gov/npa/logan/beelab



Canada

Toronto, Ontario

Celebrate International Pollinator Week June 21-27, 2010!

Bees, butterflies, birds and bats are essential players in our gardens, farms and wild areas. They are the pollinators that help produce fruit, vegetables and flowers. It is estimated that one out of every three bites humans eat can be attributed to a pollinator.
Come and celebrate these amazing creatures. Learn about how pollinator populations are declining globally and what you can do in your garden to make a significant ecological difference by providing them with nesting and foraging habitat. Join us to make Toronto a friendlier place to bee.

Events:

The Pollinator’s Cabaret: An evening of storytelling, poetry, song, visual art, and dance to celebrate native and managed pollinators.
When: Thursday June 24, 2010, 6:00-11:00 PM
Where: The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West

Urban Buzz: A Tale of Three Cities (Multi-media art exhibit): A visual journey to learn about the different ways bees inhabit Toronto, New York City and the San Francisco Bay area. Artists include: Sabrina Malach (photographs), Charmaine Lurch (wire bee sculptures), Sarah Peebles (audio), Michael Abraham (film)
When: Thursday June 21-27, 2010, 12 PM-5 PM (phone first for availability 416-531-4635)
Where: The Art Bar in The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West

When: Saturday June 5, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Where: Subtle Technologies Festival
Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue, University of Toronto
(3 min. walk S. from St. George Subway Sta., corner of St. George St.
and Sussex)
Admission prices and details at www.subtletechnologies.com/2010/
Pollination Ecology Expressed through Art: The Collaborative Creation of "Resonating Bodies - Bumble Domicile" Integrated Media Installation
A talk by Professor Laurence Packer, Sarah Peebles and Rob King 'Resonating Bodies - Bumble Domicile' was the first of a series of art installations and projects focusing on biodiversity of bees indigenous to the Greater Toronto Area. Bumble Domicile highlighted distinct features of local bumble bees through an observation hive, garden, visual and audio transformations, scent, touch, and biological information. Created by artists Sarah Peebles, Rob King, Rob Cruickshank and Anne Barros in collaboration with Canadian and U.S. biologists Laurence Packer, Stephen Buchmann, Jessamyn Manson and Peter Hallett, the installation premiered at Toronto's *new* gallery in 2008 (co-presented by InterAccess and NAISA).  We will discuss our collaborative process, how research on bee biology, pathogen transmission and pollination ecology informed the project, how bumble bee health issues presented us with challenging decisions, and ongoing ‘Resonating Bodies’ works (resonatingbodies.wordpress.com)

The Pollinator’s Festival: A full day celebration of pollinators with workshops from a diverse group of educators and a marketplace with local honey, bee houses made by local artists and scientists, books and other goods.
When: Sunday June 27, 2010, 10:00AM to 5:30 PM
Where: Evergreen Brickworks, 550 Bayview Ave (between the Prince Edward Viaduct (Bloor/Danforth) and Pottery Road).
For public transportation info see: http://ebw.evergreen.ca/visit/bus.

Detailed Schedule:

· 10:00-11:15 -Exploring the lives of Bumblebees with Sheila Colla, PhD

· 11:30-12:45- Pollinator Gardening: Tips and Tricks to Attract Pollinators to Your Garden with Dr. Clement Kent and The Brickworks staff

· 1:00-2:00-Honey Bee Hive Life with the Toronto Beekeepers Cooperative

· 2:00-2:25-Keeping the Bees: Why All Bees Are At Risk and What You Can Do to Save Them with Dr. Laurence Packer

· 2:30-4:15-Pollinator Monitoring with Dave Barr, Maria Kasstan, and Norma Barr

· 4:30-5:30- The Movement of Bees with Naomi Tessler and Zita Nyrady

**All day marketplace with great information and materials including the display and sale of ‘bee houses’ for your garden’s solitary bees by artists, architects and creative thinkers (Details and flickr page via resonatingbodies.wordpress.com) , local honey made by Toronto honey bees and Dr. Laurence Packer’s new book Keeping the Bees: Why All Bees are at Risk and What We Can Do To Save Them.

Details: http://ebw.evergreen.ca/cal/event/international-pollinator-week

Media contact: pollinatorweek@gmail.com.


Solitary Dream Homes (for Toronto bees), is a grass roots initiative for Toronto, Canada, in celebration of International Pollinator Week 2010 - but can inspire copycats everywhere!  SDH had its first bee house exhibit at the Pollinators Festival, June 27, 2010 at the Toronto Evergreen Brick Works, as part of IPW festivities in Toronto (June 21-27, 2010).  SDH invites everybody to create bee houses (a/k/a bee condos or bee boxes), sculptures and other structures which  re-imagine the “mason bee box” as a compelling, inventive and functional nesting space for ALL local species of wild, tunnel-nesting (solitary) bees, however simple or complex (not just mason bees!).

All photos by Rob Cruickshank.

We've posted our easy DIY, biological info, great photos/videos and more at Resonating Bodies (resonatingbodies.wordpress.com), AND, we've created two web galleries which display houses for native bees. These two flickr groups share our and your creations with the world:

“Hymenopteran Housing Projects” , a global Flickr group
(http://www.flickr.com/groups/1407357@N20/)

"Solitary Dream Homes ", a photo stream for Toronto creations
(flickr.com/photos/resonatingbodies/)

What's inside your bee homes and your garden's old rasberry bramble and rotting logs?? See our macro videos of solitary bees and wasps making nests inside wooden blocks - some with macro audio, too!

http://www.youtube.com/user/ResonatingBodies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRQwlZShiCI
Guelph, Ontario

June 21-27, 2010 has been designated International Pollinator Week and events will be held across North America, including in Guelph, Ontario, in an attempt to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and what can be done to help them.  With gardening season upon us, take time to consider how you can incorporate pollinator habitat into your yard, such as by planting pollinator-friendly native plants, making bee-nests, leaving a downed tree or branch to decompose, or providing an area of exposed soil for ground-nesting bees. Don’t forget to sit back and watch the pollinators do their thing though!

Pollinator Day in the Garden – University of Guelph Arboretum, Sunday June 20, 2010 10am-3pm

Pollination Guelph will be holding their second-annual Pollinator Day in the Garden at the Gosling Gardens section of the Guelph Arboretum on Sunday, June 20, from 10am to 3pm.  There will be lots of things to see and do, making it a very family-friendly event.  Guided tours will be led by pollination biologist Victoria MacPhail at 11am, 12:30pm, and 2pm, where different types of pollinators and pollinator-friendly plants will be pointed out, and a general discussion about pollination-related topics will occur.  There will be honeybee and bumble bee colonies to see up-close, coloring for the kids, educational materials for the adults, and best of all, the chance to make your own mason bee nest using materials you probably already have at home.  You might even be able to go home with a free pollinator-friendly plant!  For more information, contact pollinationguelph@gmail.com, or visit www.pollinationguelph.ca.