[Pollinator] PROTECTION FOR POLLINATORS: CONSERVATION GROUPS AND SCIENTISTS PUSH USDA TO SAVE WILD BUMBLE BEES

Tue Oct 29 09:03:03 PDT 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 29, 2013

*Press Contact:*

Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director, The Xerces Society for 
Invertebrate Conservation, (503) 449-3792, sblack at xerces.org 
<mailto:sblack at xerces.org>

Josh Mogerman, NRDC, (773) 531-5359, jmogerman at NRDC.org 
<mailto:jmogerman at NRDC.org>

Haley McKey, Communications Associate, Defenders of Wildlife, (202) 
772-0247, hmckey at defenders.org <mailto:hmckey at defenders.org>

*PROTECTION FOR POLLINATORS: CONSERVATION GROUPS AND SCIENTISTS PUSH 
USDA TO SAVE WILD BUMBLE BEES *

WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Leading conservation and science voices renewed 
their call today for a key federal agency to protect bumble bees in 
light of numerous threats contributing to population declines. The 
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Natural Resources Defense 
Council (NRDC), Defenders of Wildlife and Dr. Robbin Thorp asked the 
Secretary of Agriculture to take action on a petition to regulate the 
movement of commercial bumble bees in order to help control the spread 
of parasites and pathogens to wild bumble bees---at least one species of 
which may have already been driven to extinction.

"It has been almost four years since we filed our petition asking that 
APHIS regulate the movement of commercial bumble bees," said Sarina 
Jepsen, endangered species program director at the Xerces Society for 
Invertebrate Conservation. "Several species of bumble bees are in steep 
decline and it is urgent that APHIS take action soon to protect these 
important pollinators."

Today's letter comes nearly four years after an initial Petition for 
Rulemaking, which asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to regulate the movement of 
commercial bumble bees in order to help control the spread of parasites 
to wild bees. The agency has not responded, despite dramatic declines in 
several native bee populations across the country. Researchers believe 
that pathogens transmitted by commercial bumble bees are likely part of 
the problem, prompting the call for agency intervention to help stem 
native bumble bee losses and avert the associated impacts on the 
American food system.

"Without immediate agency intervention we will likely continue to see a 
dramatic decline in bumble bee pollinators with perilous and potentially 
irreversible consequences," Giulia Good Stefani, attorney with NRDC 
said. "One third of the food on our plates depends on pollinators. A 
failure to protect our bumble bees has direct implications for the 
health of the ecosystems that depend on them and for the security of our 
food supply."

Bumble bee pollination is essential to the reproduction of many crops 
and native flowering plants, and pathogens of bumble bees can act as 
indirect plant pests that pose a significant threat to agriculture and 
native ecosystems. "It is critical that we use our managed pollinators 
wisely for the benefit of agriculture and that we ensure the protection 
of our non-managed pollinator resources," said Dr. Robbin Thorp, a 
bumble bee researcher and professor emeritus at University of California 
at Davis.

In order to prevent the spread of disease to wild populations of 
agriculturally significant bee pollinators, petitioners asked APHIS to 
use its authority to regulate commercial bumble bees. Specifically, 
APHIS should create rules prohibiting the movement of bumble bees 
outside of their native ranges and regulate interstate movement of 
bumble bee pollinators within their native ranges by requiring permits 
that show that bumble bees are certified as disease-free prior to movement.

"Pollinators in the U.S., including bumble bees, play a vital role in 
the environment," said Jason Rylander, staff attorney at Defenders of 
Wildlife. "With some precautionary guidelines in place, we can protect 
our native bee populations so they can continue to pollinate native 
plants and important food crops."

The unregulated interstate movement of bumble bees outside their native 
ranges may have already introduced diseases that have led to the rapid 
endangerment of four formerly common bee pollinators and the possible 
extinction of a fifth bumble bee: the last reported sighting of a 
Franklin's bee (/Bombus franklini/) was in August of 2006, and, without 
regulation, the western bumble bee (/Bombus occidentalis/), the rusty 
patched bumble bee (/Bombus affinis/), the yellow-banded bumble bee 
(/Bombus terricola/), and the American bumble bee (/Bombus 
pensylvanicus/) are each in danger of disappearing throughout 
significant portions of their distribution ranges.

###

To read more about declining bumble bees, and to read the letter and the 
petition please visit the Xerces Society's website, www.xerces.org 
<http://www.xerces.org>.

*ABOUT THE XERCES SOCIETY*

Protecting the Life that Sustains Us

The Xerces Society is a nonprofit organization that protects wildlife 
through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. Established 
in 1971, the Society is at the forefront of invertebrate protection 
worldwide, harnessing the knowledge of scientists and the enthusiasm of 
citizens to implement conservation programs. To learn more about our 
work, visit www.xerces.org 
<file:///C:%5CUsers%5CMatthew%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CMicrosoft%5CWindows%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5Cggoodstefani%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CMicrosoft%5CWindows%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5CContent.Outlook%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CMicrosoft%5CWindows%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5CContent.IE5%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CMicrosoft%5CWindows%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5CContent.Outlook%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CDocuments%20and%20Settings%5Cchoffman%5CLocal%20Settings%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5CContent.Outlook%5CMy%20Documents%5CDocuments%5Cinvertebrates%5Cinsecta%5Chymenoptera%5CBombus%5Cadvocacy%5Cpetition%20to%20APHIS%5Cmedia%5Cwww.xerces.org>.

*ABOUT NRDC*

Since 1970, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has been a strong 
advocate for, and defender of, the earth's natural resources and public 
health. Over these nearly four decades-which have been a critical time 
in the development of the modern environmental movement-NRDC has been a 
powerful catalyst for change and improvement of environmental policy in 
this country and internationally. Today, NRDC represents more than 1.4 
million members and online activists and retains a staff of 400 
attorneys, scientists, and resource specialists, as well as experts in 
publishing and communications, in six offices-New York, Washington D.C, 
San Francisco, Los Angeles, Beijing and Chicago. For more information, 
visit www.nrdc.org 
<file:///C:%5CUsers%5CMatthew%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CMicrosoft%5CWindows%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5Cggoodstefani%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CMicrosoft%5CWindows%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5CContent.Outlook%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CMicrosoft%5CWindows%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5CContent.IE5%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CMicrosoft%5CWindows%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5CContent.Outlook%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CDocuments%20and%20Settings%5Cchoffman%5CLocal%20Settings%5CTemporary%20Internet%20Files%5CContent.Outlook%5CMy%20Documents%5CDocuments%5Cinvertebrates%5Cinsecta%5Chymenoptera%5CBombus%5Cadvocacy%5Cpetition%20to%20APHIS%5Cmedia%5Cwww.nrdc.org>.

*ABOUT DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE*

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native 
animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 
million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading 
advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for 
generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org 
<http://www.defenders.org>.

_____________________________________________________________________
*Sarina Jepsen*
Endangered Species Program Director, The Xerces Society 
<http://www.xerces.org/>
Deputy Chair, IUCN Bumblebee Specialist Group | iucn.org/bumblebees 
<http://www.iucn.org/bumblebees>

*The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation*
628 NE Broadway, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97232, USA
sarina at xerces.org <mailto:sarina at xerces.org>
Tel: (503) 232-6639, ext. 112
Toll free: 1-855-232-6639, ext. 112
Fax: (503) 233-6794
Cell: (971) 244-3727

Connect with Xerces:
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The Xerces Society is an international, nonprofit organization that 
protects
wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat.
_____________________________________________________________________
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