Celebrate Pollinator Week
Pollinator Week: Pollinators and Climate Change
Pollinators need you. You need pollinators!
Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. They also sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce.
Pollinating animals travel from plant to plant carrying pollen on their bodies in a vital interaction that allows the transfer of genetic material critical to the reproductive system of most flowering plants – the very plants that:
a) bring us countless fruits, vegetables, and nuts,
b) ½ of the world’s oils, fibers and raw materials;
c) prevent soil erosion,
d) and increase carbon sequestration
This nearly invisible ecosystem service is a precious resource that requires attention and support - - and in disturbing evidence found around the globe, is increasingly in jeopardy.
This Pollinator Week we will be emphasizing the connections between climate and pollinators. Pollinators are dying because their food and homes are disappearing, diseases have increased, and rising temperatures and natural disasters are affecting their ability to survive - all of which are related to climate change. At the same time, the conservation of pollinators and their habitats can help combat climate change by supporting healthy ecosystems, air, soil, water, and plants. Combined, these results make planet earth a safer place for us to live. These are big problems and the efforts that are made around North America and globally during Pollinator Week can help provide real solutions for the pollinators we all love.
The City of West Palm Beach Office of Sustainability is celebrating National Pollinator Week (June 17 - 23) by mailing free native wildflower seed packets to City of West Palm Beach residents and businesses! Growing native plants adds beauty and important habitats for wildlife, especially for pollinators. Even a small backyard garden can make a big difference. Plant the seeds in your yard and watch pollinators come right to your doorstep.
This giveaway has now closed. Check back next year!
Wildflower seeds available (while supplies last):
Additional Information and Resources:
Atala Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA)
Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association
UF IFAS Extension: Pollination
Florida Wildflower Foundation