[Pollinator] The World is all Abuzz about Pollinators!

[Kelly Rourke]

Contact:

Bethany Shively, NACD

Bethany-Shively at nacdnet.org

202-547-6223



*The World is all Abuzz about Pollinators! *

*Washington, DC--June 16, 2015-- *Celebrate Pollinator Week, June 15 – 21!
While many pollinators may seem like just annoying insects, they are
actually a very important part of the web of life upon which we all depend.
Unfortunately, pollinators have shown disturbing signs of decline in recent
years.



“Pollinators play a critical role in our everyday lives, and it’s important
that we work to protect their habitat,” says NACD President Lee McDaniel.
“Pollinators form the underpinning of a healthy and sustainable future for
food and the environment.”



When pollinators shrink in number, many plants either produce less seed or
no seed at all. The bottom line is, when pollinators start disappearing,
plants start disappearing. Most plants depend upon pollinators to
reproduce. While animals can travel and move around to find mates and
reproduce, plants are rooted to one spot. Therefore, plants depend on
pollinators to move pollen from their anthers to their stigma.



On planet Earth there are more than 100,000 species of insects, including
bees, flies, moths, butterflies and beetles that work hard as pollinators.
There are also over 1,000 species of other animals such as birds, reptiles
and mammals, including bats that pollinate plants.



NACD has partnered with the Pollinator Partnership (pollinator.org)
and Presidential
Pollinator Health Plan - Education and Outreach Task Force - USDA members:
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), National Institute of Food
and Agriculture (NIFA) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in the development of
education materials, "Local Heroes: Your Hardworking Pollinators."



“America’s families depend on pollinators, essential in agriculture and
critical to the production of more than one-third of our food products. In
fact, more than 75 percent of flowering plants rely on pollinators,” said
U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden. “National
Pollinator Week is a once-a-year observance that helps to educate the
American public about the importance of pollinators to our food supply,
information that we should remember year-round.”



“Anyone who plants for pollinators can inspire others by registering their
site on a national map at www.pollinator.org/SHARE.htm,” says Laurie Davies
Adams, Executive Director of the Pollinator Partnership (P2). “Everyone can
make a difference through their actions.”



There are many resources available to assist the public in maintaining or
developing habitat for pollinators. For contact information for your local
conservation district visit the NACD conservation district directory.



Additional Pollinator resources, education materials are located on the
“NACD Local Heroes – Your Hardworking Pollinators” education page. For
additional information, contact NACD Education & Stewardship Specialist
Susan Schultz at susan-schultz at nacdnet.org.



USDA has been working on various projects to educate citizens on the
importance of pollinators. For more information, visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/plantsanimals/pollinate/ and
www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/.



The Pollinator Partnership (P2) is a nonprofit organization headquartered
in San Francisco, California. P2’s mission is to catalyze stewardship of
biodiversity. P2 places a high priority on efforts to protect and enhance
animal pollinators (*invertebrates, birds and mammals*) and their habitats
in both working and wild lands. More information about P2, along with
resources for anyone wishing to take action, may be accessed at
www.pollinator.org. For more information contact Tom Van Arsdall, Director
of Public Affairs, at TVA at pollinator.org.



The White House released on May 19, 2015 the National Strategy to Promote
the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. Developed through a
collaborative effort across the Executive Branch, this Strategy outlines a
comprehensive approach to tackling and reducing the impact of multiple
stressors on pollinator health, including pests and pathogens, reduced
habitat, lack of nutritional resources, and exposure to pesticides. Click
here to view a comprehensive plan for pollinators.



###



Kelly Rourke

Program Associate

Pollinator Partnership

423 Washington Street, 5th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94111

e:  kr at pollinator.org

w: www.pollinator.org

p: 415.362.1137
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<https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PollinatorOrg/about>

<http://www.pollinator.org/>
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