11/12/2015. Pollinator Stewardship and The Horticulture Industry. Bee Savvy The Business Opportunities Behind Pollinator Awareness 11/12/2015

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1 Bee Savvy The Business Opportunities Behind Pollinator Awareness 11/12/2015 TM TM Pollinator Stewardship and The Horticulture Industry 1

2 Factors impacting pollinator health NUTRITION WEATHER PATTERNS QUEEN FAILURE BEEKEEPING PRACTICES GENETIC WEAKNESS DISEASES MISUSE OF PESTICIDES PARASITES TM TM Habitat and Forage Loss Is a Key Challenge for Pollinators 2

3 ?? Horticulture Industry Bee and Pollinator Stewardship Initiative TM TM 3

4 We seek to: Fund, leverage, and direct research to answer key questions and guide future efforts Implement stewardship program for plant producers Partner with groups that share interest in improving bee and pollinator habitat and forage Million Pollinator Garden Challenge AmericanHort one of 8 Nat l Pollinator Garden Network founding organizations Goal: one million pollinator gardens by end of 2016 Fantastic opportunity for our garden retail and landscape members to provide plants, expertise 4

5 Some Links for More Info: americanhort.org/bees Research reports: bit.ly/beeresearchfall15 growwise.org 5

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8 Mission-Based Merchandising 8

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10 2013 Debut 10

11 Dec 2013/Jan 2014: Planned Contract Grow 5,000 landscape sized plugs 5 species of Native Milkweed Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) Common Milkweed (A. syriaca) Swamp Milkweed (A. incarnata) Green Milkweed (A. viridis) Whorled Milkweed (A. verticillata) 11

12 The Results Reporting Period: 2013 vs Gross Sales 24.5% Customer Count 10% Average Sale 10% Community Supporters/Endorsers 12

13 Slender Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Wild Bergamot Monarada fistulosa Missouri Black Eyed Susan Rudbeckia missouriensis Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis Blue Sage Salvia azurea Sky Blue Aster Symphyotrichum oolengensis Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea Butterfly Milkweed Asclepias tuberosa 13

14 Who Received The Plants? Greenscape Customers gift with purchase Earth Day STL in Forest Park Missouri Coalition For The Environment 20 City Schools in the MFM programs Green Homes Festival St. Louis Zoo Pollinator Dinner Scout projects Gateway Greening Community events in various municipalities For a total of 5,963 plants St. Louis City Hall Monarch Garden Summer 15 Mayor Francis Slay: First Mayor to sign onto NWF s Mayors For Monarch Pledge 14

15 Education & Engagement: Onsite and In The Community Meeting People Where They Are (both literally & figuratively) Interpretive Plantings 15

16 Greenscape s Butterfly House Full Lifecycle Demonstrations Throughout Late Summer In Store Monarch Meetups! 16

17 Why Does It Make Good Business Sense To Give Plants Away? Social Impact Marketing Build the cost into the marketing budget Cost of the program can be equivalent to a monthly ¼ page ad in the local free gardening publication Most Importantly The Power of GIVING A GIFT & RECEIVING A GIFT 17

18 Creates a sense of Purpose & Awareness that will empower consumers to be a part of the Solution Actionable Observable Measurable 18

19 We Get Back More Than We Give YTD 2015 Results: Native Plant Sales Up 186% (+$49,000) Milkweed Sold YTD: 4,862 plants 19

20 Lessons Learned (because we have given away plants before) The gift needs to be a purpose driven selection Educate Educate the staff about the purpose Gift with purchase opens a dialog with consumers Educate Bring the message full circle It s Okay, Don t Spray Educate Host plants will be eaten! Educate the consumer Offering a more diverse palette (more than one type of milkweed in July, etc.) A Look Ahead Introducing our fresh Pollinator Palette for 2016: Some featuring Grow Native! s Pollinator Buffet tags 20

21 March 2016 Introducing Our 2016 Pollinator Palette & Featured Partners Featured Plant: Packera obovata (Golden Groundsel) Featured Partner: Wild Ones April 2016 Introducing Our 2016 Pollinator Palette & Featured Partners Featured Plant: Monarda bradburiana (Bee Balm) Featured Partner: National Garden Association Kidsgardening.org 21

22 May 2016 Introducing Our 2016 Pollinator Palette & Featured Partners Featured Plants: Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (Aromatic Aster) Rudbeckia fulgida sullivantii (Black Eyed Susan) Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) Featured Partner: Project Pollinator (local initiative by St. Louis County) June 2016 Introducing Our 2016 Pollinator Palette & Featured Partners Featured Plants: Zizia aptera (Meadow Parsnip) Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (Slender Mountain Mint) Featured Partner: Pollinator Partnership 22

23 July 2016 Introducing Our 2016 Pollinator Palette & Featured Partners Featured Plants: Asclepias incarnata Asclepias tuberosa Asclepias verticillata Featured Partner: Monarch Watch August 2016 Introducing Our 2016 Pollinator Palette & Featured Partners Featured Plants: Liatris pycnostachya (Prairie Blazing Star) Vernonia arkansana (Ironweed) Featured Partner: Missouri Master Naturalists 23

24 September 2016 Introducing Our 2016 Pollinator Palette & Featured Partners Featured Plants: Solidago drummondii (Zigzag Goldenrod) Solidago flexicaulis (Broadleaf Goldenrod) Solidago speciosa (Showy Goldenrod) Featured Partner: National Wildlife Federation October 2016 Introducing Our 2016 Pollinator Palette & Featured Partners Featured Plants: Assorted Bird Favorites Including: Lindera benzoin Sassafras albinum Aronia sp. Cornus sp. Featured Partner: St. Louis Audubon Society 24

25 A Look Ahead Million Pollinator Garden Challenge website on Pollinator Palette plants! BEE A HERO Take The Challenge! pledge at the register Specific pollinator friendly annuals & herb selections coordinated with our growers Outside the box partners & allies New Non Traditional & Allied Industry Partners Public Libraries Local Craft Brewery Cultural Institutions Zoo Parks Department Children s Museum 25

26 What if? 26