Happy Pollinator Week!

We are thrilled to be celebrating Pollinator Week with you. Our friends at the Pollinator Partnership manage this annual event to raise awareness and promote the protection of all pollinators.

Why Pollinators Matter

Pollinators are essential to our ecosystem and are not just limited to bees and butterflies. Birds, bats, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, and small mammals are crucial in pollinating flowering plants. Have you ever heard the saying, “One out of every three bites of food you take is because of pollinators?” It’s true! Pollinators are vital to our food supply and the health of our environment.

The Challenge for Pollinators

Did you know that around 75-95% of all flowering plants need help with pollination? Pollinators have a tough but critical job. Habitat loss remains a significant problem, particularly for migratory pollinators like the monarch butterfly, which need suitable habitat patches along their migration routes. Unfortunately, these “rest-stops” have declined over time, leaving fewer and smaller patches for migratory pollinators.

Pollinators also face threats from invasive species that take over native plant habitats and the rise of diseases. As of 2020, more than 70 species of pollinators are endangered or threatened.

Sources: Pollinator Partnership and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

How You Can Help

Even with these challenges, there are many ways you can help protect pollinators and contribute to habitat regeneration. Here are FIVE ways you can participate in Pollinator Week and support pollinators:

1. Join a Pollinator Week Event: During Pollinator Week, countless events are happening across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Visit the Pollinator Partnership’s map of events to find an event near you.
   • If you’re in the Southern Vermont region, join us on Friday, June 21, for a Monarchs, Milkweed, and Mexico Habitat Conservation presentation and discussion! Space is limited; please register here.
2. Plant a Pollinator Garden: It’s never too late to start your garden. Incorporate native plants, native milkweed, and nectar-producing flowers to attract pollinators. If you need help getting started, we have a great guide! Check out our GARDEN GUIDE.
3. Take a Monarch Virtual Class: Whether you know much or little about monarch butterflies, our friends at the Monarch Joint Venture regularly offer virtual programs. They have several scheduled for this summer.
4. Donate or Fundraise: Support organizations like Forests for Monarchs working directly to restore pollinator habitats. Donations are crucial for small organizations, but hosting a fundraiser is another excellent way to raise funds and awareness. Consider organizing a plant sale or a pollinator walk, with proceeds going to your chosen organization. These activities also help involve more community members.
5. Host a Planting Day at a School or Summer Program: Engaging young people in conservation is a beautiful way to help pollinators. Host a gardening day and include an educational component so students understand their connection to pollinators.

Working Together for a Brighter Future

Together, we are making a difference. This Pollinator Week, let’s continue working together to protect and restore the habitats that our pollinators rely on.