Each year, I passionately share citizen science projects with my listeners, in hopes of educating people and encouraging them to understand and become more engaged in the world around us! February is always the Great Backyard Bird Count by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and this month, there’s a lot of ‘buzz’ about the Great Southeast Pollinator Census!
Becky Griffin from UGA Extension comes on my show each year to promote this effort, shared by now 4 states! She is Community and School Garden Coordinator, Pollinator Health Associate, and proud pollinator promoter (I added that last part!). Thanks in part to her passion, the increase in pollinator importance awareness, and the movement gaining traction on social media, NC State, Clemson, and University of Florida have now started programs in their states.
Beck and I could have talked for hours about the roles pollinators play and how important they are to our very survival. Becky’s passion project is the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, coming up Friday and Saturday, August 23 and 24! She says, “this is a time for all of us to get together, to celebrate pollinators, and do something for them. These counts really do matter.” Garden groups throughout the state are holding events that Saturday to encourage participation. More about some of those on the “Green and Growing Events” portion of my website.
And counting pollinators is easy to do! Becky explains, “for someone who’s never counted before, you pick a favorite pollinator plant, one where you see insect activity, and you count pollinators on that plant for 15 minutes. Upload your counts and find out more on GSePC.org.” I’ve got to hand it to this group of folks! The website is very user-friendly and even features tools and resources enticing teachers and businesses to participate.
According to the Pollinator Partnership, “somewhere between 75% and 95% of all flowering plants need help with pollination – they need pollinators. And one out of every three bites of food you eat is there because of pollinators.” That’s eye-opening, isn’t it?? And while we’re observing that one flowering plant for 15 minutes next week, just what are we looking for and counting? Well, Becky says they’ve organized insects into 8 pollinator groups to make identification easier: carpenter bee, bumble bee, honey bee, small bee, butterfly, fly, wasp, and ‘other’.
Becky Griffin reminds us that this important activity is “protecting pollinators one count at a time”, so your time matters very much!