[Pollinator] Media Release: A Butterfly to Bloom in Kansas-World's Largest Living Stamp

Thu Jun 7 00:24:38 PDT 2007


> * Image of the world's largest living stamp available at
> http://www.pollinator.org/pix/crop%20art%20sketch.jpg
>
> * Downloadable 300 dpi image of the Pollination stamps and other
information
> available at http://pollinator.org/pollinator_week.htm
>
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>
>
>
> Kat McGuire (415) 362-1137 km at coevolution.org
>
> Tom Van Arsdall (540) 785-0949 tom at vanarsdall.com
>
>
>
>
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>
> A Butterfly to Bloom in Kansas
>
>
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> San Francisco, CA (June 5, 2007) A bold plan to publicize the importance
and
> plight of pollinators in the United States is literally taking root on a
> small farm in Kansas.  To draw attention to the importance of pollinators
in
> ecosystems, agriculture, and biodiversity, a continent-wide campaign to
> protect pollinators, the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
> (NAPPC) is partnering with world-renowned Kansas-based crop artist Stan
Herd
> to build a 50-foot butterfly out of natural materials.  The Southern
Dogface
> butterfly is one of four Pollination stamps to be issued June 29 by the
U.S.
> Postal Service.
>
>
>
> The project is already gaining widespread support; the first major
sponsors
> were Robin Williams and Marsha Garces Williams.   "Without the birds,
bees,
> and butterflies, so much of the beauty that surrounds us would be
missing,"
> said the Williams.  "We are proud to support the Pollinator Partnership
and
> to help protect our pollinator friends.  This living Crop Art highlights
the
> importance of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems."
>
>
>
> Stan Herd plans to complete the crop art installation in time for
Pollinator
> Week, June 24-30, when visits to see the butterfly in full bloom will be
> scheduled by contacting Karen or John Pendleton (karenp at pendletons.com or
> 785-843-1409) or Chip Taylor (chip at ku.edu or 785-864-4850 or
785-766-6850).
> Images of the pollinator crop art can be viewed at www.pollinator.org
> <http://www.pollinator.org/>  (click "News Room For Media" or "Crop Art").
>
>
>
> Laurie Davies Adams, who directs NAPPC, is quick to point out the
connection
> between pollinator health and our food supply.   "Pollinators are
essential
> to our quality of life, and they may be in trouble," said Adams.  "Many
> people don't realize that we depend on pollinators for 85% of the
flowering
> plants in natural areas and for much of the food we eat.  A world without
> pollinators is a world without strawberries, apples, almonds, berries, and
> even one-half of the oils in our diet."
>
>
>
> Convinced that public awareness and involvement are essential to
pollinator
> protection, NAPPC Steering Committee member Professor Chip Taylor of the
> University of Kansas, and the head of Monarch Watch, has enlisted the help
> of acclaimed artist Stan Herd to publicize the issue. Herd specializes in
> large-scale earthworks, such as crop art and rock mosaics, and has been
> featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, and The
> Wall Street Journal.  His previous work can be viewed at
www.stanherdart.com
> <http://www.stanherdart.com/> , and a sketch of the crop art is available
at
> http://pollinator.org/pix/gridded_image_crop_art.jpg.
>
>
>
> In mid-May, Herd began building the world's largest living stamp using
only
> plants and other natural materials.  The installation is being executed
near
> Pendleton's Country Market, a family farm off Kansas Highway 10 between
> Olathe and Lawrence.
>
>
>
> Herd and his staff of three began creating the framework for the crop art
by
> laying 150 hay bales, each weighing 120 pounds.  They then began
reproducing
> the green areas of the stamp by planting 350 squash and 50 sunflowers.
When
> completed, the resulting evanescent image will be viewed aerially for a
> brief few weeks.  Flyovers originating from an airport three miles away
are
> planned.
>
>
>
> The crop art will coincide with National Pollinator Week, June 24-30,
> designated by the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to
help
> publicize the vulnerability of pollinators and to call on the public to
> create pollinator-friendly habitats in their own landscapes.
>
>
>
> National Pollinator Week will focus on information on actions that help
> pollinators.  Through habitat destruction, misuse of pesticides, and
> pollution, humans have provoked a decline in many species of pollinators,
> such as birds, bats, bees and butterflies that play an essential role in
the
> reproduction of flowering plants both on farms and in the wild.
>
>
>
> NAPPC encourages all types of groups - classrooms, congregations,
families -
> and individuals to follow Stan Herd's progress as he creates the crop art
by
> visiting www.pollinator.org <http://www.pollinator.org/>  (click "Watch
the
> Crop Art Grow!"), and to use this opportunity to learn about pollinators
by
> organizing their own National Pollinator Week activities.  Visit
> www.pollinator.org <http://www.pollinator.org/>  for ideas for activities
> and for more information about events scheduled around the country.
>
>
>
>  To make a tax-deductible donation to the crop art project, visit
> www.pollinator.org <http://www.pollinator.org/>  (click "Crop Art
> Donations") or Contact Laurie Davies Adams at (415) 362-1137 or
> info at coevolution.org.  NAPPC encourages all types of groups - classrooms,
> congregations, families - and individuals to use this opportunity to learn
> about pollinators as they fundraise to support this project.  NAPPC
> gratefully welcomes donations of any amount, and will recognize
contributors
> on www.pollinator.org <http://www.pollinator.org/> .
>
>
>
> ######
>
>
>
> (ELECTRONIC RESOURCES at www.pollinator.org <http://www.pollinator.org/>
> include: (1) Fact Sheets on Pollination and for Gardeners, Public Land
> Managers, Educators and Students, Food Industry, Farmers and Ranchers; (2)
> Full-color artwork on Pollination; (3) Information about events and
> activities planned for Pollinator Week, and ways to get involved; (4) Crop
> Art Sketch http://www.pollinator.org/pix/crop%20art%20sketch.jpg. (5)
> Downloadable 300 dpi image of the Pollination stamps
> http://pollinator.org/pollinator_week.htm.
>
>
>
> Bee Ready for National Pollinator Week, June 24-30, 2007! For more info:
> <http://www.pollinator.org> www.pollinator.org
>
>
>
> R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall, Public Affairs Representative for Coevolution
> Institute/NAPPC
>
>    Van Arsdall & Associates
>
>    13605 McLane Place
>
>    Fredericksburg, VA  22407-2344
>
>    (540) 785-0949
>
>    tom at vanarsdall.com
>
>
>
>