[Pollinator] Massachusetts Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Courses

[Matthew Shepherd]

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MASSACHUSETTS POLLINATOR CONSERVATION PLANNING SHORT COURSES

Tuesday May 4, 2010 and Wednesday May 5, 2010

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.

This day-long Short Course (offered on two different days) 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.

Introductory topics include the basic principles of pollinator biology, the
economics of insect pollination, recognizing native bee species, and
assessment of pollinator habitat.

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.

Throughout the workshop these training modules are illustrated by real case
studies of pollinator conservation efforts across the country.

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).

Location: Powisset Farm, 37 Powisset St., Dover, MA 02030-1602

Cost: Free (lunch not included).

For Non-NRCS Registrations (May 5th): Please send an email to
charlesrivervalley at ttor.org <mfrancis at ttor.org> with your name, affiliation,
mailing address, phone number, or call Powisset Farm at 503-785-0339.

For NRCS Registrations (May 4th): Please contact Beth Schreier at
beth.schreier at ma.usda.gov, or 413-253-4393.

COURSE TRAINING SKILLS AND OBJECTIVES

   - Awareness of various federal programs and funding available for
   pollinator conservation
   - Identify approaches to increase and enhance pollinator diversity on the
   land
   - Knowledge of the current best management practices that minimize
   land-use impacts on pollinators
   - Ability to identify bees and distinguish them from other insects
   - Understand the economics of insect-pollinated crops, and the effects of
   pollinator decline
   - Knowledge of the 2008 Farm Bill pollinator conservation provisions and
   how to implement those provisions in programs such as WHIP, EQIP, and CSP
   - Ability to assess pollinator habitat and to identify habitat
   deficiencies
   - 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)
   - Ability to design and implement habitat improvements, such as native
   plant restoration and nest site enhancements

COURSE AGENDA
Module 1. Introduction

   - Pollination economics and the role of native bees in commercial crop
   production
   - Pollination biology
   - Colony Collapse Disorder and honey bee industry trends

Module 2. Basic bee biology

   - Bee identification
   - Identifying pollinator nest sites

Module 3. Bee-friendly farming

   - The role of farm habitat
   - Mitigating pesticide damage
   - Protecting ground-nesting bees in cultivated fields

Module 4. Open Laboratory

   - Field observation and land-use discussion (outdoors)
   - Examination of pinned specimens, artificial nests, and display
   materials

Module 5. Habitat restoration

   - Habitat design considerations
   - Plant selection and seed sources
   - Planting techniques for native wildflowers
   - Long-term habitat management
   - Artificial nest sites

Module 6. 2008 Farm Bill provisions

   - Using NRCS programs and practices for pollinator conservation
   - Conservation case studies

Module 7. Additional resources

Acknowledgements

These Pollinator Conservation Short Courses are supported by the supported
by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is a federal agency
that provides technical and financial assistance to Massachusetts landowners
and land managers to improve and protect their soil, water and other natural
resources. For information is available at http://www.ma.nrcs.usda.gov/

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 www.sare.org.

 INTENDED AUDIENCE
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.


LEAD INSTRUCTOR BIO
Mace Vaughan is the Xerces Society's Pollinator Program Director and Joint
Pollinator Conservation Specialist with the NRCS West National Tech Support
Center. Mace supervises research and outreach on habitat restoration for
crop pollinating native bees, and collaborates extensively with scientists
researching the role and habitat needs of crop-pollinating native bees. He
has written numerous articles on the conservation of bees, butterflies,
aquatic invertebrates, and insects, and is co-author of the Pollinator
Conservation Handbook and lead author of Farming for Bees: Guidelines for
Providing Native Bee Habitat on Farms.


ABOUT THE XERCES SOCIETY
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
www.xerces.org.

 PHOTO CREDITS
Sunflower bee (Svastra sp.) by Sarah Greenleaf, California State University,
Sacramento

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