[Pollinator] New USDA-NRCS Pollinator Conservation Guidelines

[Eric Mader]

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has just released a
new national publication for the agency, Using Farm Bill Programs for
Pollinator Conservation (Technical Note No. 78).

This document produced through the NRCS Plant Materials Data Center and the
Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Program, outlines opportunities
within current Farm Bill programs to implement pollinator conservation
actions on the ground.

In particular the publication focuses on “field-level opportunities” for
local NRCS staff to conduct pollinator conservation work with participating
landowners. These opportunities include the implementation of standardized
NRCS conservation practices that are traditionally intended to address a
diversity of resource concerns (including soil erosion, water quality, and
wildlife habitat).

For example, the publication describes how existing NRCS standards for using
cover crops can be tailored to include a diversity of sequentially blooming
plants that provide abundant pollen and nectar sources throughout the
season.

Similar guidelines are provided for many other NRCS practices including
alley cropping, contour buffer strips, field border plantings, filter
strips, pest management, streambank and shoreline protection, and more.

The result of these guidelines will be a greater ability on the part of NRCS
conservationists to help landowners maintain and grow healthy pollinator
populations in agricultural landscapes.

Technical Note No. 78: Using Farm Bill Programs for Pollinator
Conservationrepresents the latest in a series of agency-wide
initiatives being conducted
by the USDA-NRCS to address the crucially important issue of pollinator
conservation. The publication is available as a free download at:

http://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/OpenNonWebContent.aspx?content=22952.wba


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Eric Mader
National Pollinator Outreach Coordinator
The Xerces Society
PO Box 8833, Madison, WI, 53708 USA
Tel: 608-628-4951 Fax: 503-233-6794
Email: eric at xerces.org

Adjunct Assistant Extension Professor
University of Minnesota - Department of Entomology
219 Hodson Hall
1980 Folwell Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108 USA
Tel: 612-625-3761
Email: made0002 at umn.edu

The Xerces Society is an international nonprofit organization that protects
wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. Our
Pollinator Conservation Program works to support the sustainability and
profitability of farms while protecting pollinator insects. To join the
Society, make a contribution, or read about our work, please visit
www.xerces.org.
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