KSAT.com (San Antonio, TX)

June 20, 2022

This is Pollinator Week — a time to celebrate birds, bats, bees, beetles and butterflies.

Even if you’re not a bat or bug person, your life is still directly affected by pollinators every single day.

Love margaritas? The agave plant, which produces an essential ingredient in tequila, depends on bats for pollination.

“Pollinators play an important role in our ecosystems and food systems,” said Luke Metzger, Executive Director of Environment Texas. “This Pollinator Week, we’re doubling down on our pledge to do all we can to protect our precious pollinators that help make our flowers bloom and trees bear fruit.”

Read the rest of the article at KSAT.com.

Markets Insider

June 20, 2022

A year after coming together to help make the agricultural landscape more friendly to pollinators, members of the California Pollinator Coalition say they’re gaining momentum, building stronger relationships between agriculture and conservation groups that are already increasing habitat on the ground. 

The coalition – created in April 2021 and including more than 20 agriculture, conservation and government organizations – says it’s building a stronger network among these groups that has already led to new projects to expand on the success of the efforts of its individual member organizations.

Read the rest of the article at the Markets Insider website.

CBS Minnesota

May 27, 2022

Minnesota pollinators have it tough right now. The Department of Natural Resources says habitat loss, pesticides and climate change, have contributed to the drastic decline in population.

But now that spring is in full bloom and our gardens are picking up steam, some people are turning their backyards into bee havens.

Read more on the CBS Minnesota website.

Columbia Missourian (Columbia, MO)

June 5, 2022

 

Salisbury Daily Times (Salisbury, MD)

June 7, 2022

Although they will have to wait till 2024, monarch butterflies are slated for a decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on receiving endangered or threatened species protection.

On account of pesticide spraying, habitat loss and climate change, monarch butterfly populations have decreased 85%. 

The population is below the threshold at which government scientists estimate the butterfly migrations could collapse. The Center for Biological Diversity, along with the Center for Food Safety, petitioned for protection of the butterflies Aug. 26, 2014.

Read the rest of the article at the Salisbury Daily Times website.

The Denver Post

May 27, 2022

UPDATE: The bill mentioned in this article, Senate Bill 22-199, was signed into law by Colorado governor Jared Polis on May 27, 2022.

Warmer temps and moisture aligned with the release of 400 native butterflies into a public sanctuary southwest of Denver — amid efforts by Colorado leaders to ensure better habitat for pollinator insects statewide.

This Chatfield Farms Butterfly House — run by Denver Botanic Gardens and the Westminster-based Butterfly Pavilion — opens Saturday on a 700-acre preserve west of Chatfield Reservoir along Deer Creek.

Continue reading this article at The Denver Post website.

 

SWNewsMedia.com

May 30, 2022

A new pollinator habitat has been planted in Shakopee, becoming the largest habitat site in the city.

Seed for expanding the amount of pollinator habitat in town has been planted in more than eight acres of farmland along the intersection of Sioux Trail and Marystown Road.

The initiative is a partnership between the city of Shakopee, Xcel Energy and Scott County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Read the rest of this article at swnewsmedia.com.

 

Pennsylvania Capital-Star

June 2, 2022

A solar power boom generated by new renewable energy mandates is unfurling in the Chesapeake Bay region. Virginia, for example, was ninth in the nation for new solar capacity in 2021.

With many solar arrays ending up on farmland, a movement is fast taking hold to make sure that they will benefit the environment, agriculture and wildlife, and not just create a sea of silicon.

Continue reading this article at the Capital-Star website. 

Spectrum News 1 (Greensboro, N.C.)

June 2, 2022

In the push to help pollinators, a company is encouraging more people to plant gardens and let wildflowers grow freely.

Syngenta’s “Operation Pollinator” is a program with an international reach. It’s designed to help pollinators by planting native flowers.

Syngenta pollinator and IPM stewardship lead Caydee Savinelli oversees the Operation Pollinator garden on the company’s Greensboro campus, and she said it’s a powerful tool to help change the landscapes of our world.

Continue reading this article on the Spectrum News 1 website.

Phys.org

May 23, 2022

A study using 10 years of citizen science data from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s BeeWalk scheme has found that a variety of targeted conservation approaches are needed to protect UK bumblebee species. The findings are published the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied Ecology.

Continue reading this article at Phys.org.