[Pollinator] Broad support for regulations to protect wild bumble bees

[Sarina Jepsen]

*Broad support for *regulations to protect wild bumble bees **

Scientists, native plant organizations, sustainable agriculture groups 
and conservation organizations sign letters of support

On February 10, 2010, a broad coalition of scientists submitted a letter 
to the *USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 
requesting that they create new regulations to protect wild bumble bees 
from threats posed by commercial bumble bees. The letter was signed by 
over 60 scientists with research on bumble bees and other bees, 
including: *Charles D. Michener, Ph.D., author of /The Bees of the 
World/;/ /Bernd Heinrich, Ph.D., author of /Bumblebee Economics/;/ 
/David Goulson, Ph.D., author of /Bumblebees: Their/ /Behaviour, Ecology 
and Conservation, /James Thomson, Ph.D., co-author of /The Natural 
History of Bumble Bees/; and/ /May Berenbaum, Ph.D., Chair of the 
National Research Council Committee on the Status of Pollinators in 
North America.  

Letters of support were also submitted by a coalition of native plant 
societies, sustainable agriculture organizations, and conservation 
organizations*. View all letters of support 
<http://www.xerces.org/bumblebees/>.*

*_Background_
These letters provide support for a petition submitted on January 12, 
2010 by *The Xerces Society*, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resources 
Defense Council and Dr. Robbin Thorp. This petition requested that APHIS 
use *its authority to regulate the movement and health of commercial 
bumble bees* i*n order to prevent the spread of disease to wild 
populations of agriculturally significant bee pollinators. Specifically, 
the petitioners requested that APHIS create rules prohibiting the 
movement of bumble bees outside of their native ranges and regulate 
interstate movement of bumble bee pollinators within their native ranges 
by requiring permits that show that bumble bees are certified as 
disease-free prior to movement. Read more 
<http://www.xerces.org/press-releases/aphis-petition.html> about this 
action. Read the petition 
<http://www.xerces.org/petition/xerces-bumblebee-petition-to-aphis.pdf>.

___________________________________________
*The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation*

The Xerces Society is an international, nonprofit
organization that protects wildlife through the
conservation of invertebrates and their habitat.
To join the Society, make a contribution, or read
about our work, please visit www.xerces.org

Sarina Jepsen
Endangered Species Program Director
4828 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97215
tel: 503-232-6639 fax: 503-233-6794
email: sarina at xerces.org
___________________________________________
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