Protecting Pollinators

The disappearance of pollinating

insects around the world has

prompted global action. Work

is being done by scientists,

companies and organizations

around the world to help to curb

the decline in populations of

pollinating insects.

AT LEAST 80% OF the world’s crop plant species require pollination with an estimated one out of every three bites of food coming to us through the work of animal pollinators which includes birds, bees, butterflies, bats and beetles that transfer pollen between plants. The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign is an alliance of pollinator researchers, conservation and environmental groups, private industry and state and federal agencies. According to NAPPC, the declines in health and population of pollinators in North America and globally pose a significant threat to biodiversity, the food chain and human health as a number of pollinator species are at risk. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, NAPPC is making strides in the U.S., Mexico and Canada to develop and implement an action plan to focus attention on the plight of pollinators and the need to protect them. The group is now comprised of more than 120 partners. Laurie Davies Adams is the Executive Director of Pollinator Partnership and has overseen the initial organization and the development of the NAPPC. She says that continued work to raise public awareness, encouraging collaborative working partnerships and promoting conservation, protection and restoration of pollinator habitats is essential. “In many ways, the NAPPC has already demonstrated something significant but slightly different than the goals of the group. We have shown the incredible power of human collaboration,” says Adams. “The NAPPC and partner organizations are a remarkable cadre of unselfish visionaries who work very aggressively to cooperate with all parties on the pollinator issue. We strive for consensus. We work for common objectives and we try to respectfully disagree and move on to

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT BAUER.

30

SEED WORLD