The Pollinator Initiative is back in bloom! This summer, AFNHA is expanding our efforts to promote education about our local pollinators and the ways we can help their declining populations.

We are planning to start a seed bank of native plants and will be recruiting local volunteers to help, and we are seeking donations of seeds to stock our bank.

There are many ways to create a pollinator garden, with things like site preparation and maintenance varying from place to place. Over the years, different organizations and groups have created their own pollinator habitat, so we’ve highlighted a few of them so that they can impart the lessons they’ve learned along the way!

Biochar is a charcoal produced when biomass is burned at a high heat. It can sequester carbon, therefore mitigating climate change, and assist with water and nutrient retention in gardens.

Many Forest Service projects involve the creation of early successional habitat, which is crucial for many pollinator species. Here, we have highlighted a few projects that are either in progress, or are in the early stages, that are either directly or indirectly benefitting pollinators!

The rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) is currently found in 10-30% of its historical range. But what factors could have led to this rapid decline? A recent study published in 2021 found that the timing of floral resources in the forest, grassland and wetlands may have something to do with it.

The Seneca Rocks pollinator garden is blooming! Creating native pollinator habitat can be a challenge, which is why we have compiled some of the important lessons the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center has learned when building their garden.