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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><img width="131" height="41" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D32BEE.571F3470" align="left" hspace="12" alt="Pollinator_notag"><img width="44" height="44" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D32BEE.571F3470" align="left" hspace="12" alt="BestNAPPC logo"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">MEDIA RELEASE</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">For Immediate Release</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">September 12, 2017</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tom Van Arsdall <a href="mailto:TVA@pollinator.org">TVA@pollinator.org</a> 703.509.4746<b></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="width:668px;height:2px"><img width="668" height="1" src="cid:image005.png@01D32BEE.571F3470"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><br style="mso-ignore:vglayout" clear="ALL"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">NAPPC PRESENTS THE 2017 POLLINATOR ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT AWARD</span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">San Francisco, September 12, 2017</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">, for immediate release –The 2017 North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) Pollinator Roadside Management Award was presented today at the National Roadside Vegetation Management Association’s annual conference in Springfield, Missouri. NAPPC is administered by the Pollinator Partnership (P2); and P2’s Director of Public Affairs, Tom Van Arsdall, was present to acknowledge the awardees.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The NAPPC Pollinator Roadside Management Award was established by the NAPPC Forage, Nutrition and Roadsides Task Force </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to recognize transportation agencies who are leading the field in pollinator-friendly roadside practices. By implementing pollinator-friendly roadside practices, roadside managers can play a significant role in boosting pollinator habitat nationwide, including habitat for the imperiled monarch butterfly. Nominations were reviewed by a distinguished selection committee comprised of Phyllis Stiles (Bee City USA), Deirdre Remley (Federal Highways Administration), William Rogers (Transportation Research Board), Chris Hiatt (American Beekeeping Federation), and Dr. Vicki Wojcik (Pollinator Partnership-<i>ex officio</i>). Visit <a href="http://www.pollinator.org/roadsides">http://www.pollinator.org/roadsides</a> for more information about the award initiative. </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) received first place. TxDOT manages 800,000 acres of roadside right of way for the benefit of pollinators through an integrated vegetation management approach, including reduced mowing to promote wildflowers, training of personnel and development and distribution of native wildflower seed mixes. TxDOT is engaging the public through pollinator Public Service Announcements at all 80+ safety rest areas in the state.<span style="color:#222222"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always"></span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222">The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) was awarded second place. VDOT is implementing a Pollinator Habitat Plan, with targeted plantings of native flowers integrated vegetation management practices tailored to encourage pollinator habitat. A new ‘Protect Pollinators’ license plate helps raise funds, and public education efforts are underway.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#222222">“We are pleased to recognize these outstanding efforts by roadside managers to share their roadsides with bees, monarchs and other butterflies, and other pollinators,” said Val Dolcini, president and CEO of the Pollinator Partnership.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center;text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">###</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">ABOUT P2 and NAPPC</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Established in 1997, the Pollinator Partnership (P2) is the largest 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the health, protection, and conservation of all pollinating animals. P2’s actions for pollinators include education, conservation, restoration, policy, and research. P2’s financial support comes through grants, gifts, memberships and donations from any interested party. P2’s policies are science-based, set by its board of directors, and never influenced by any donor. <span style="color:black">The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), managed by P2, is <span style="background:#fafafa">a growing, collaborative body of more than 160 diverse partners from across North America, including respected scientists, researchers, conservationists, government officials and dedicated volunteers. </span></span>For more information about P2 and NAPPC please visit <a href="http://www.pollinator.org">www.pollinator.org</a>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">About NVRMA</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">The National Roadside Vegetation Management Association (NRVMA)</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> is an educational, non-profit organization dedicated to providing expertise, solutions and networking opportunities to personnel involved in integrated roadside vegetation management. NVRMA is a network of federal, state, county, city, university and industry personnel, all working towards safe, beautiful roadsides. For more information, please visit <a href="http://pickensm.wixsite.com/nrvma">http://pickensm.wixsite.com/nrvma</a><span style="color:#494947">. <b><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"></span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Visit <a href="http://pollinator.org/in-the-news">http://pollinator.org/in-the-news</a> to view the press release online.</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Kelly Rourke</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Program Coordinator</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Pollinator Partnership </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">423 Washington Street, 5th Floor</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">San Francisco, CA 94111</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">e: </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="mailto:kr@pollinator.org"><span style="color:blue">kr@pollinator.org</span></a><span style="color:black"> </span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">w: </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.pollinator.org"><span style="color:blue">www.pollinator.org</span></a> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">p: 415.362.1137</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/ThePollinatorPartnership"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="40" height="40" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D32BED.2D1EC0B0" alt="cid:image002.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a><a href="http://twitter.com/Pollinators"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="40" height="40" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image007.jpg@01D32BED.2D1EC0B0" alt="cid:image003.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PollinatorOrg/about"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="40" height="40" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image008.jpg@01D32BED.2D1EC0B0" alt="cid:image004.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/PollinatorPartners"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="40" height="40" id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image009.jpg@01D32BED.2D1EC0B0" alt="cid:image005.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://pollinator.org/index.html"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="117" height="52" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image010.jpg@01D32BED.2D1EC0B0" alt="cid:image006.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a><a href="http://pollinator.org/million-pollinator-garden-challenge.htm"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1155cc;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="60" height="60" id="Picture_x0020_6" src="cid:image011.jpg@01D32BED.2D1EC0B0" alt="cid:image007.jpg@01D1AB75.BF85B7F0"></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></body></html>