[Pollinator] NEW! Ecoregional Planting Guides for Pollinators at http://www.pollinator.org/guides.htm

[R. Thomas Van Arsdall]

The Pollinator Partnership is pleased to announce that Ecoregional Planting
Guides for Pollinators are now available LIVE, On Line
http://www.pollinator.org/guides.htm.  The first six guides were launched at
the beginning of National Pollinator week.

*         This guides are intended as practical, 'placed-based' tools to
help farmers, homeowners and public land managers plant native
[non-invasive!] plants as habitat for pollinators that are well suited to
the locality, or ecoregion.  

*         All you need to identify your ecoregion is your Zip Code!  Our
online Zip Code Habitat Locator will connect you to your ecosystem map and
guide.  

o   If the guide for your ecoregion is not yet available, you can enter your
e-mail address and receive an alert when it becomes available.

*         The guides are downloadable for FREE!

*         Two additional ecoregions are scheduled to come on line in each of
the next 3 months (July-September), with all 35 on line within 2 years.

 

So what the heck is an ecoregion?  Ecoregions (ecological regions, or
bioregions) denote areas of general similarity in ecosystems and in the
type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. The
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity> biodiversity of
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_%28plants%29> flora,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_%28animals%29> fauna (including
pollinators) and  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystems> ecosystems that
characterize an ecoregion tend to be distinct from that of other ecoregions.
These general purpose regions are critical for structuring and implementing
ecosystem management strategies across federal agencies, state agencies, and
nongovernment organizations that are responsible for different types of
resources within the same geographical areas.

 

Each guide provides plant-pollinator information specific to that ecoregion,
including (1) Bloom periods; (2) Native plants that attract pollinators; and
(3) Habitat hints.  Finally, each guide provides additional resources and
tips, including (1) Habitat and nesting requirements different pollinators;
(2) Basic checklist; and (3) Where to access additional information.

 

We are looking for ways to encourage awareness about and use of the guides
so that they will help lead to real pollinator habitat improvements.  Toward
that end, the Pollinator Partnership signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with the National Association of Conservation Districts during National
Pollinator Week.   Our two organizations will collaborate in alerting the
nation's 3,000 local conservation districts about the guides, with the
shared objective of  getting the guides into the hands of people who will be
able to use them in implementing their conservation practices. 

 

Please try the site out, http://www.pollinator.org/guides.htm, and let us
know what you think.  Improving suggestions about the site, as well as ways
to help get the word out, are welcome!

 

R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall, Director, Public Affairs, Pollinator
Partnership

tva at pollinator.org

For More Information, http://www.pollinator.org <http://www.pollinator.org/>


 

Van Arsdall & Associates

P.O. Box 8512

Fredericksburg, VA  22404-8512

PH:  (540) 785-0949

Cell:  (703) 509-4746

tom at vanarsdall.com