All hands on deck now to plan and plant for pollinators! Attendees will learn about pollinators and pollinator services in the landscape, the habitat needs of different pollinator species and how these needs can be accommodated in the landscape, how native trees, shrubs, flowering plants and groundcover support pollinators, and best practices for using and maintaining pollinator habitat in the landscape. 

Some scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of insect and other wild pollinators. Both agricultural systems and wild lands rely heavily on pollinators to remain viable and productive. The many colorful butterflies and other insects that visit landscapes are also a welcome treat that can provide hours of watching enjoyment. In recent years through, insect populations, most notably native bees and butterflies, have declined dramatically. Habitat degradation and loss are leading factors driving declines in pollinator abundance and diversity. Consequently, modern society’s growing network of yards, community and institutional greenspaces, and rights-of-way is becoming an ever more important resource for wildlife – especially smaller organisms like insects that often do not require vast amounts of acreage to survive.  While such spaces cannot replace natural habitat, appropriate landscaping can provide a bounty of resources to help sustain insect pollinators. 

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUs)

Florida DBPR Board of Landscape Architecture: Course #: 0011763

Regulatory Council of Community Association Managers: pending

FNGLA: 1 CEU for FNGLA certified horticulture and landscape professionals.


TOPICS COVERED

1. Pollination services and types of pollinators
2. Importance of various insect species to pollination
3. Status of bees and non-bee pollinators
4. Challenges faced by pollinators in today’s environment]
5. Needs of pollinators that can be supported in farm, easement, urban and suburban landscapes
6. Agricultural and crop pollination
7. Rights of way
8. Native trees, shrubs, flowers and groundcovers that support pollinators

Fees: $38
This session is sponsored by the Native Plant Horticulture Foundation