POLLINATOR DATABASE WITH POLLINATOR FRIENDLY ALLIANCE

Vol 1. No. 2

“Eastern bumblebee on purple cone flower! Monarch butterfly on False Aster!” On a hot, arid July morning, a small team working in pairs, traverse marked sections of the prairie calling out to their partner documenting the species of pollinators and the flora they visit.

Equipped with sharp pencils and recording sheets on clipboard, researchers from the Pollinator Friendly Alliance and members of The Acreage staff collect data for an on-going project documenting the health of the pollinator community at The Acreage.

Now in its fourth year, the pollinator count is beginning to tell a story that will inform future land management practices in the pollinator meadow, prairie, woodland edges, and forested regions of The Acreage. Pollinators across the country are in dramatic decline.

“Rebuilding declining pollinator species means providing resilient and biodiverse habitats where pollinators and wildlife can thrive, protected from pesticides,”

An astonishing 25% of bumblebee populations are at-risk of extinction (IUCN threatened category), this includes at least 6 species in the upper Midwest such as the yellow banded and rusty patched bumble bee. If used as an indicator of other bumble bees, this is a loss of 87% of range and 92% decline in relative abundance.

“Rebuilding declining pollinator species means providing resilient and biodiverse habitats where pollinators and wildlife can thrive, protected from pesticides,” says Laurie Schneider, the Executive Director for the Pollinator Friendly Alliance.

By rebuilding and maintaining protected areas, The Acreage intends to be a healthy haven for pollinators to flourish. Visit the Pollinator Friendly Alliance to learn more about their work and how you can support healthy pollinator habitats in your area.