Xerces Society s Pollinator Conservation Program: Converting Science into Conservation Practice Scott Black and Mace Vaughan The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
What is the Xerces Society? The Xerces Society International nonprofit that protects wildlife and its habitat through the conservation of invertebrates. Edward Ross
Where are we going? Talk Outline Why native bees? Pollinators and habitat protection Research needs Case study from California Converting science into practice Bruce Newhouae
Why native bees: Diversity Amazing pollinator diversity (4,000 spp of bee in the U.S.) Edward S. Ross Mace Vaughan USDA-ARS/Jack Dykinga Mace Vaughan Sarah Greenleaf Mace Vaughan
Why native bees: Agriculture When honey bees are in short supply, native bees can act as an insurance policy when their habitat is present. Native bees pollinated approximately $3 billion of crops in the year 2000. Mace Vaughan
Why native bees: Agriculture Fifty-one species of native bees have been observed visiting watermelon, sunflower, or tomato in California. Over forty-five species of bees have been recorded pollinating berry crops in Maine and Massachusetts. Sixty-seven species of native bees visit blueberries in Nova Scotia. USDA-ARS/Jack Dykinga
Why native bees: Agriculture Native pollinators have been shown to nearly triple the production of cherry tomatoes in California. Wild native bees improve the pollination efficiency of honey bees in hybrid sunflower seed crops by causing them to move between male and female rows more often. Sarah Greenleaf
Value of pollinator conservation for habitat protection Using native pollinators to pollinate crops and protect habitat Conservation focused on pollinators is a way to conduct cooperative habitat protection and restoration in working lands. A win-win for all.
Value of pollinator conservation for farmland: The wildlife connection Plants and wildlife About 70% of the world s plants require a pollinator Edward S. Ross Fruits and seeds are a major part of the diet of about 25% of birds, and many mammals Pollinators themselves are food for wildlife Marie Read Karen Ward, NPS
Value of pollinator conservation for overall habitat protection Pollinator needs Natural Areas with foraging and nesting sites Restored areas with plant diversity throughout the growing season Refuge from pesticides Bruce Newhouse
Value of pollinator conservation for farmland: Watermelon in California Importance of natural areas If more than 30% of the area within 1.2 km of a field is natural habitat, growers can achieve full pollination of watermelons by native bees in the Central Valley, California In the absence of honey bees, canola growers make more money on their land if 30% is in natural habitat, rather than planting it all
Value of pollinator conservation for farmland: Other conservation benefits Other benefits of habitat Reduced erosion Reduced drift of pesticides Other beneficial insects Clean and cooler water NRCS Lynn Betts
What Research Would Benefit Native Pollinator Conservation? Edward S. Ross
Research needed by conservationists working in agricultural landscapes Role of wild bees in crop pollination Habitat features bees require in different landscapes Amount of habitat needed to provide a specific amount of pollination service Effectiveness of restoring habitat for native bees Andrew Holder, Xercs Society
Pollinator Conservation Research: Case Study from California >50 species visit crops in Yolo County, CA Native bees alone provided significant pollination for watermelon farms close to natural habitat Native bees shown to increase production of sunflowers and tomatoes
Pollinator Conservation Research: Case Study from California Native bees and the non-crop flowers they use And chl And cer Ant urb Dia spp Bom cal Hal spp Bom vos Dia bit Mel spp Salix sp.* Arctostaphylos manzanita* Cercis occidentalis* Rosa californica* Baccharis salicifolia Phacelia imbricata Lupinus sp.* Eriodictyon californicum Escholtzia californica* Tritelaia laxa Cornus sericea* Eriogonum fasciculatum Lotus scoparius Heteromeles arbutifolia* Adenostoma fasciculatum Rhamnus californica* Cephalanthus occidentalis* Calycadenia pauciflora Helianthus annuus* Mentzelia laevicaulis Grindelia camporum Trichostema lanceolatum w Eremocarpus setigerus w Baccharis pilularis* Epilobium canum Hemizonia congesta Stephanomeria virgata Spring Summer Fall
Pollinator Conservation Research: Case Study from California Collaboration with UC Berkeley, Audubon California and the Center for Land-Based Learning Implementing restoration and monitoring impact on native bee community and impact on pollination function
Pollinator Conservation Research: Case Study from California Site restoration Using specially chosen plants in planting mix Including nest blocks Ground nesting and bumble bees supported by areas of stable ground and grassed buffers Nest block photo Mace Vaughan
Pollinator Conservation Research: Site restoration Butler site December 2006
Pollinator Conservation Research: Site restoration Butler site March 2007
Pollinator Conservation Research: Site restoration Farm on Putah Creek (CLBL) Katharina Ullmann
Pollinator Conservation Research: Monitoring Monitoring Bee Community Netting at flowers Pan trapping Vegetation surveys to assess amount of forage available
Pollinator Conservation Research: Monitoring Monitoring Pollination Function Phytometers: using plants of economic importance to monitor increase in pollination from local bee community USDA ARS Dr. James Altland, OSU
Strategies for using scientific information Mace Vaughan
Where do we go from here? Workshops Media Strategies for using scientific information Educational publications Technical advice Collaborations Policy
Where do we go from here? Collaboration with partners Natural Resource Conservation Service An organization ready to put pollinator conservation research to work Robert Parks
Fully integrating native pollinators into Farm Bill programs can have a wide impact. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) allocated over $1 billion in financial and technical assistance to farmers in 2006. Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) retired over 36 million acres of farmland, 4.5 million specifically for wildlife. Where do we go from here? Collaboration with partners
Collaboration with NRCS Engaging with the NRCS local level Demonstration sites at Plant Material Centers and farms Workshops for landowners Technical assistance to growers interested in pollinator conservation
Collaboration with NRCS Engaging with the NRCS state level Help develop regional pollinator technology notes (focus on plant information) Training their conservationists Engaging in state tech advisory committees to help pollinators stay on the radar Help develop pollinator restoration projects
Collaboration with NRCS Engaging with the NRCS national level Working to include pollinators as a priority in NRCS conservation programs Current legislation (e.g. Pollinator Habitat Protection Act)
Where do we go from here? Federal legislation Federal Legislation and 2007 Farm Bill Senate Bill 1496: Pollinator Habitat Protection Act Senator Boxer s Pollinator Protection (Research) Act House Resolution 1709: Pollinator Protection Act (CCD)
More Information on Native Bee Conservation Xerces Society publications www.xerces.org 503-232 6639 mdshepherd@xerces.org
Thanks and questions Thanks to our collaborators and funders: NRCS CS Fund Gaia Foundation Goldman Fund National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Xerces Society members
Thanks and questions Mace Vaughan www.xerces.org