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Community Corner

The Importance of Biodiversity and Pollinators in Farming and Gardening Workshop November 13, 2013

As humble bumble bees and other insects go about their lives, their simple act of flower pollination provides major benefits to both working farmlands and natural landscapes. Pollinators are the unsung heroes of our ecosystem; they are responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of food you eat, add 217 billion dollars to the global economy, and honey bees alone are responsible for between 1.2 and 5.4 billion dollars in agricultural productivity in the United States. Sadly, despite their valuable pollination services, a growing body of evidence suggests both managed honey bee colonies and wild bee populations are in decline due to urbanization, outdated agricultural practices, and unhampered pesticide use across the nation.  

 

Join CT NOFA and the National Audubon Society in Greenwich on November 13 from 6:00pm-9:00pm for a dynamic workshop and discussion designed to provide the latest science-based approaches for farmers and gardeners to identify, protect, and improve habitats for these vital native insect pollinators. Kelly Gill’s presentation will include:

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▪ Understanding the importance of pollinators

▪ Ability to identify ways of increasing and enhancing pollinator diversity on the land

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▪ Ability to design and implement habitat improvements, such as native plant restoration and nest site enhancements

▪ Knowledge of the current best management practices that minimize land-use impacts on pollinators

▪ An overview of the Farm Bill pollinator conservation provisions and how to implement those provisions through USDA programs

 

Kelly Gill is the Pollinator Conservation Specialist in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions for The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. She is also a Partner Biologist with the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Regions. Kelly’s position provides technical support for planning, installing, and managing pollinator habitat. A Pennsylvania native, Kelly completed her Master’s Degree in Entomology at Iowa State University. There, she conducted small plot and farm scale research, collaborating with organic and conventional farmers, on the development of best practices for conserving beneficial insects in agricultural landscapes.

 

The workshop is made possible by a grant from the National Institute for Food and Agriculture through the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. Workshop registration is $20 for CT NOFA and Audubon Greenwich members, students of all levels and $30 for non-members. Please register in advance by calling the CT NOFA office at 203-308-2584 or by visiting www.ctnofa.org

 

CT NOFA is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the practices of ecologically sound farming and gardening, and to the development of local sustainable agriculture. CT NOFA is a growing community of farmers, gardeners, land care professionals, businesses and consumers that encourages a healthy relationship to the natural world.


The Audubon Greenwich mission is to engage and educate people to conserve, restore, and enjoy nature, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats. 

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