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<p class="style4" align="center"><span class="style1">IOWA POLLINATOR
CONSERVATION PLANNING SHORT COURSE </span></p>
<p class="style4" align="center"><span class="style14">Tuesday August
10, 2010<br></span><span class="style14">Ames, IA 9:30am-4pm </span></p>
<p>The 2008 Farm Bill makes pollinators and their habitat a
conservation priority for every USDA land manager and conservationist.
This training session provides an overview of pollinator-specific
language within the Farm Bill, and how to translate that language into
on-the-ground conservation.</p>
<p>This day-long Short Course will equip conservationists, land
managers, farm educators, and agricultural professionals with the
latest science-based approaches to increasing crop security and
reversing the trend of pollinator decline, especially in heavily
managed agricultural landscapes.</p>
<p>Introductory topics include the basic principles of pollinator
biology, the economics of insect pollination, recognizing native bee
species, and assessment of pollinator habitat.</p>
<p>Advance modules will cover farm management practices for pollinator
protection, the development of pollinator habitat enhancements,
incorporating pollinator conservation into NRCS programs, selection of
plants for pollinator enhancement sites, management of natural and
urban landscapes, and the additional funding sources and technical
support available to land managers.</p>
<p>Throughout the workshop these training modules are illustrated by
real case studies of pollinator conservation efforts across the
country. </p>
<p>The first 30 registrants will receive the Xerces Society’s
Pollinator Conservation Toolkit that includes published farm and habitat
management guidelines, fact sheets and nest construction plans,
relevant Extension and NRCS publications. Additional Toolkits will be
available for purchase ($20.00).</p>
<p><span class="style15">Location:</span> Reiman Gardens (Iowa State
University)<br>
1407 University Blvd., Ames, IA 50011<br>
<br>
<span class="style15">Cost:</span> Free (lunch not included). <br>
<br>
<span class="style15">For Registrations:</span> Please contact Ashley
Minnerath at 503-232-6639 or <a href="mailto:ashley@xerces.org">ashley@xerces.org</a></p>
<p class="style4"><span class="style1">COURSE TRAINING SKILLS AND
OBJECTIVES </span></p>
<ul><li>Awareness of various federal programs and funding available for
pollinator conservation
</li><li>Identify approaches to increase and enhance pollinator
diversity on the land
</li><li>Knowledge of the current best management practices that
minimize land-use impacts on pollinators
</li><li>Ability to identify bees and distinguish them from other
insects
</li><li>Understand the economics of insect-pollinated crops, and the
effects of pollinator decline
</li><li>Knowledge of the 2008 Farm Bill pollinator conservation
provisions and how to implement those provisions in programs such as
WHIP, EQIP, and CSP
</li><li>Ability to assess pollinator habitat and to identify habitat
deficiencies
</li><li>Ability to make recommendations to farmers and land managers
that conserve pollinators (including subjects such as tillage,
pesticide use, irrigation, burning, grazing, and cover cropping)
</li><li>Ability to design and implement habitat improvements, such as
native plant restoration and nest site enhancements </li></ul>
<p><span class="style4"><span class="style1">COURSE AGENDA</span><br>
</span>Module 1. Introduction </p>
<ul type="disc"><li>Pollination economics and the role of native bees in commercial
crop production
</li><li>Pollination biology
</li><li>Colony Collapse Disorder and honey bee industry trends </li></ul>
<p>Module 2. Basic bee biology</p>
<ul type="disc"><li>Bee identification
</li><li>Identifying pollinator nest sites </li></ul>
<p>Module 3. Bee-friendly farming</p>
<ul><li>The role of farm habitat
</li><li>Mitigating pesticide damage
</li><li>Protecting ground-nesting bees in cultivated fields </li></ul>
<p>Module 4. Open Laboratory </p>
<ul type="disc"><li>Field observation and land-use discussion (outdoors)
</li><li>Examination of pinned specimens, artificial nests, and
display materials </li></ul>
<p>Module 5. Habitat restoration</p>
<ul><li>Habitat design considerations
</li><li>Plant selection and seed sources
</li><li>Planting techniques for native wildflowers
</li><li>Long-term habitat management
</li><li>Artificial nest sites </li></ul>
<p>Module 6. 2008 Farm Bill provisions</p>
<ul type="disc"><li>Using NRCS programs and practices for pollinator conservation
</li><li>Conservation case studies </li></ul>
<p>Module 7. Additional resources</p>
<p class="style4"><span class="style1">Acknowledgements </span></p>
<p>These Pollinator Conservation Short Courses are supported by the
supported by the Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.
Since 1988, SARE has helped advance farming systems that are
profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a
nationwide research and education grants program. The SARE program is
supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA),
U.S. Department of Agriculture. More information about SARE is
available at <a href="http://www.sare.org/">www.sare.org</a>.</p></td>
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<p class="style3"><span class="style5">INTENDED AUDIENCE </span><br>
The content of this course is tailored to the needs of NRCS, SWCS,
Cooperative Extension and state department of agriculture employees as
well as crop consultants, natural resource specialists,
non-governmental conservation organization staff, and producers of
bee-pollinated crops.</p>
<p class="style3"><br>
<span class="style5">LEAD INSTRUCTOR BIO </span><br>
<span class="style6">Jennifer Hopwood is the Xerces Society's
Midwest Pollinator Outreach Coordinator. In this role she works to
provide resources and training for pollinator habitat management,
creation, and restoration to agricultural professionals and land
managers. Jennifer holds a Master’s in Entomology from the University
of Kansas, where her research focused on bee communities in roadside
prairie plantings and prairie remnants. Contact: <a href="mailto:jennifer@xerces.org">jennifer@xerces.org</a>. </span></p>
<p><span class="style3"><br>
<span class="style5">ABOUT THE XERCES SOCIETY</span><br>
<span class="style6">The Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation is an international non-profit organization that protects
wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat.
Launched in 1996, the Xerces Society’s Pollinator Conservation
Program works with leading native pollinator ecologists to translate
the latest research findings into on-the-ground conservation. More
information about the Xerces Society is available at <a href="http://www.xerces.org/">www.xerces.org</a> </span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="style3"><span class="style5">PHOTO CREDITS</span><br>
<span class="style6">Sunflower bee (Svastra sp.) by Sarah
Greenleaf, California State University, Sacramento</span></span><span class="style3"><span class="style6"><br>
<br>
</span></span></p>
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