More Than One Million Strong: National Pollinator Garden Network Surpasses Goal of One Million Registered Pollinator Gardens

In just three years, 1,040,000 gardens were registered with the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge (MPGC) involving an estimated eight million people, concentrated in the United States, and Canada with some in Mexico, and across the globe. From tiny yards to public gardens, the million plus gardens add up to a network of approximately five million acres of enhanced or new pollinator habitat.

Pollinator Gardening Hot Spots, where high percentages of the local population registered gardens, include: the desert southwest, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Prescott and Flagstaff, and the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Arizona metro area. The Smoky Mountain region, which straddles North Carolina and Tennessee, contributed over 35,000 gardens.  These areas, along with St. Louis, Missouri and others also support high bee density and diversity. Research indicates that the impact of these small-scale pollinator gardens has added significant support to pollinator abundance and diversity.

Metro areas with the highest number of registered gardens include Atlanta, Chicago, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Philadelphia-Camden, Washington DC, and New York City.

Launched in June 2015 by the National Pollinator Garden Network (NPGN), the goal of the MPGC was to create networks of gardens to help save pollinators, which are responsible for 1 out of 3 food bites we take each day. “Together, through collaborative conservation we are restoring pollinator populations that provide the foundation of our ecosystems and our food supply.” said, Collin O’Mara, President and CEO of National Wildlife Federation. “When we save wildlife, we save ourselves”.

With 40% of all invertebrate pollinator species – particularly bees and butterflies –at risk of extinction (National Research Council, 2007), NPGN responded as the largest pollinator conservation effort to engage the horticultural and voluntary sectors in a major role —offering a hands-on way for citizens to restore and enhance pollinator habitat.  

Co-founding organizations: National Wildlife Federation; Pollinator Partnership; American Public Gardens Association; AmericanHort; National Gardening Association; American Seed Trade Association; National Gardening Bureau; and KidsGardening.org, led the doubling of the NPGN to over 50 conservation, garden trade, garden club, and voluntary civic and federal partners. 

Nancy L. Hargroves, president, National Garden Clubs, Inc. inaugural NPGN member, stated, “Our 5000 clubs in almost every state are proud to collaborate with the NPGN. The significant increased awareness and action for pollinators was not limited to any one project, but combined, has a greater total impact on the world.”

“Our collective efforts have accomplished great things for bees, butterflies, and other pollinator species that play a critical role in our natural world,” says Val Dolcini, president of the Pollinator Partnership. “From enhancing our food supply to increasing the biodiversity of our environment, these hard-working pollinators need to be protected at all costs. By protecting their lives, we’re preserving ours.”

An impact report, released today, indicates the MPGC led to a shift in consumer awareness, and wider actions such as pro-pollinator pledges, proclamations and policies. Since the campaign launch, 92 percent of garden centers have seen an increase in demand for pollinator-friendly plants and services and 86 percent are offering more pollinator-friendly plants, services, and education. Craig Regelbrugge, senior vice president of AmericanHort, applauds these efforts. “Leaders in horticulture have stepped up to meet consumer demand for pollinator friendly plants and to provide the necessary education about sustainable methods that support habitat.”

Moving Forward

The 2019 call to action is designed to build on the momentum of Challenge in two ways

1. Expanding garden habitat by asking Americans to plant at least three different pollinator-friendly plants that bloom in three different seasons (spring, summer and fall) to help ensure a consistent food supply for pollinators. The MPGC map will stay open for new registrations, and plant/garden descriptions.
2. Track the outcomes of this movement, by encouraging everyone to participate in citizen science projects that help pollinators at https://www.scistarter.org/pollinatorgardens.

“The passion for pollinators is clearly evident. Let’s pass it on and encourage the 35 million Americans who garden with flowers, to each put in one new pollinator friendly plant per season each year. Imagine the transformation!” says Mary Phillips, National Wildlife Federation, NPGN coordinator.

Crown Bees Signs with Garden Media Group for 2015

Garden Media Group is buzzing with excitement as it announces its newest client for 2015, Crown Bees. The gentle bee company partners with Garden Media in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of mason bees to the world’s food supply.

 
This spring, Garden Media will oversee Crown Bees’ dynamic crowdfunding effort to raise awareness about how native bees can supplement the work of our troubled honey bees and solve a key threat to our planet’s food sustainability.

GMG's Friday Find: Welcome Pollinators to Your Backyard!

Don't bee fooled, we need bees. Just about every fruit and vegetable you can imagine is dependent on the pollinating services of bees.

Apple orchards, for example, need one colony of bees per acre to be adequately pollinated.  Honeybees contribute $15 billion in annual agriculture revenue to the U.S. economy alone, as a full one-third of the American food supply depends on them pollinating crops.

Yet sadly, the bees are dying.  Sometimes the answer is apparent, as in the bee die-off in Oregon last week where 50,000 bumblebees were sprayed with a pesticide to combat aphids on blooming linden trees. More often, the bee decline is subtle, precipitated by a lack of natural foraging, like native plants.  One thing is certain, bees and other pollinators are necessary for all seed and fruit production by flowering plants--the plants we need to survive. We can help the bees survive, so we do.

One of the things we can do is put a habitat hotel in our yard or garden to invite beneficial insects to rest and nest.  The shelter is not only a beautiful landscape accent, it is a welcome mat for pollinating butterflies and bees, as well as lacewings and ladybugs that help control insect pests.  Built specifically for these beneficials, this particular one also offers space for bird nesting materials. You can also encourage bees to nest with man-made bee condos made from bundles of hollowed sticks.

Cultivating native plants is crucial for the survival of our pollinators.  Using plants native to your area, and ones that bloom from early spring to late fall, is the best way to ensure the butterflies, bees and hummingbirds feel at home and continue working on what they do best--helping plant reproduction by the transfer of pollen among flowers.

Of course, the biggest offender to the bee population and other beneficial insects is pesticides.  For an all natural pest control, check out RESCUE!® products for their complete line of deterrents that work based on scientific research.  RESCUE!® products are eco-friendly, recyclable and kind to the environment.

Whatever small part we do impacts the larger ecosystem that nourishes us all.  When we take care of the bees and other pollinators, we contribute to the success of our food supply as well.  We'd love your thoughts on other ways to help our pollinator friends. Bee-cause it's not just important, it's vital.

~Peggy
Garden Media Group