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<h2><b>Native pollinators: Key to sustainable fruit
production?</b></h2>August 6th, 2010 by David Tenenbaum<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.physorg.com/wire-news/42553043/native-pollinators-key-to-sustainable-fruit-production.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.physorg.com/wire-news/42553043/native-pollinators-key-to-sustainable-fruit-production.html<br>
<br>
</a>
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.0.20100807062333.01d3a5f8@xerces.org.0" width=260 height=267 alt="Native pollinators: Key to sustainable fruit production?">
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<b><i>Jennifer Hopwood (left), pollinator specialist from the Xerces
Society and Susan Carpenter, Arboretum native plant gardener, examine
pollinators on dotted mint Aug. 3, 2010, during a workshop on native
pollinators at the UW-Madison Arboretum, sponsored by the UW-Madison
Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems. Photo: Molly FiField Murray,
UW-Madison Arboretum<br>
</i></b> <br>
As a group of students ogles wild flowers on a sunny day at the UW
Arboretum, the blooming dotted mint, iron weed and black-eyed susans are
certainly glorious. But these adult students are not concentrating on the
flowers. Instead, they are focusing on the insects busily pollinating
those blooms. Wasps. Flies. Beetles. And a dozen species of native bees,
including several species of bumblebee. <br><br>
The class, including graduate students, conservation officials, Arboretum
employees and two people from the fruit industry, is interested in
promoting native pollinators as a replacement for the ever-scarcer
colonies of honeybees.<br><br>
The workshop is sponsored by the Eco-Fruit Project, a statewide program
coordinated by UW-Madison's Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
that is helping fruit growers reduce pesticide use, lighten their impact
on the land, and improve profitability and marketability.<br><br>
Today's instructor is Jennifer Hopwood of the Xerces Society, which
advocates conservation of insects and other invertebrates. Hopgood points
out many advantages for native pollinators, which, unlike honeybees, come
with the territory and need not be rented.<br><br>
Some native bees, Hopgood says, are dramatically more industrious than
honeybees.<br><br>
Native pollinators interested workshop attendee Richard Schneider of
Calamus Creek Farms in Columbus, Wis., a small apple producer with a
diversified farm. "There's such a variety of pollinators, and people
have not been paying attention to them. There's a lot of education
needed."<br><br>
The origins of Eco-Fruit date to 2000, when apple growers in southeast
Wisconsin came to Michelle Miller of the integrated agriculture center.
The growers were worried about impending bans on their two main
insecticides. At the same time, consumers were becoming more concerned
about pesticides in food.<br><br>
Miller collaborated with the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association and
UW-Extension fruit specialists to design a program of participatory
research that started from these grower concerns.<br><br>
Regina Hirsch, an outreach specialist at the center, says the growers
organized into regional networks. They also adopted integrated pest
management, a strategy that bases pesticide decisions on weather, insect
populations and economics, rather than spraying on a preordained
schedule.<br><br>
Within three years, the toxic burden of their sprays was cut in half,
says Hirsch.<br><br>
As more growers around the state became interested, the Eco-Apple Project
expanded into other parts of the state.<br><br>
After other Wisconsin fruit growers joined Eco-Apple, the name was
changed to the Eco-Fruit Project, but the goals remained the same: to use
participatory research to learn to grow fruit more efficiently,
profitably and sustainably.<br><br>
Eco-Fruit now has at least 70 participants in five networks in
Wisconsin.<br><br>
Most commercial fruits must be pollinated by animals typically bees
and as honeybees continue to suffer what's known as colony collapse
disorder, the Eco-Fruit Project is working to improve conditions for
honeybees and native pollinators alike.<br><br>
The Arboretum workshop is one of six being held around the state, where
growers, conservationists and scientists are assembling to discuss native
pollinators.<br><br>
Natives have significant advantages, says Hirsch. "Wisconsin apples
bloom in April, when it's cold and rainy. Honeybees don't like to work
under those conditions, but bumblebees will still be pollinating, and in
that short period of blossoming, you want something hardy out in your
orchard."<br><br>
A big part of the job is creating or conserving habitat where native bees
can nest and eat, says Hirsch. "Natives can shoulder more of the
burden if we develop natural habitat with a variety of flowering plants
that bloom throughout the season. It might take a while to reach 100
percent, but they can definitely play a role."<br><br>
For a schedule of upcoming workshops, visit
<a href="http://conservation-training.wisc.edu/course_listing/list_sections?course_id=7">
http://conservatio … ?course_id=7</a> .<br><br>
Provided by University of Wisconsin-Madison<br>
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*************************<br>
Scott Hoffman Black<br>
Ecologist/Entomologist<br>
Executive Director<br>
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation<br>
4828 SE Hawthorne <br>
Portland, OR 97215 <br>
Direct line (503) 449-3792<br>
sblack@xerces.org<br><br>
<i>The Xerces Society is an international, nonprofit organization that
protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their
habitat. <br>
</i> <br>
To join the Society, make a contribution, or read about our work, <br>
please visit
<a href="http://www.xerces.org/">www.xerces.org</a>.<br><br>
<br>
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