Great Resources

Honey bees in decline, Monarch Butterflies in crisis, major threats to certain species of native bees – these are the stories we frequently see in the news these days. Wouldn’t it be great to support an organization whose mission it is to protect creatures like bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and other invertebrate species that are critical to healthy ecosystems?  You can – simply by donating $35 or more to the Xerces Society in support of their efforts.

The Xerces Society is a non-profit organization with four decades under its belt, established in 1971.  They use advocacy, education, and applied research to defend invertebrate species.   And, they have a terrific website which is chock-full of useful information to ecologically-minded gardeners.  Want to know what native plants will support native bees in the Pacific Northwest?  Interested in how to make and maintain nests for native bees?  Want to know which butterflies are at greatest risk and how to help them?  Take a look at:  www.xerces.org.

When 100,000 bumble bees were unintentionally massacred by a neonicontinoid pesticide spray this summer, The Xerces Society sprang into action, reporting the news and taking a stand.  In the face of the collapse in the population of Monarch Butterflies, The Xerces Society helped to initiate a monarch protection campaign that focuses on conservation of overwintering sites in California and the restoration of breeding habitat in key regions of the United States.  They even have a program that teaches farmers how to farm to support bees.

One valuable resource from The Xerces Society that I highly recommend is their book:  Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies.  This book explains the importance of pollinators and the steps needed to support them in any landscape from habitat preservation to planting forage.

Whether you donate or not, The Xerces Society has a lot to offer you.  But it would be hard to put $35 to better use!

From Kim Eierman at EcoBeneficial!