Today marks the start of National Pollinator Week! Pollinator Week was made by and is managed by Pollinator Partnership, and it has now been running for 14 years. National Pollinator Week was marked as a necessary step towards highlighting the urgent decline of pollinator populations worldwide. Starting in the U.S., it has since grown into an international celebration for the valuable ecological services provided by bats, beetles, birds, butterflies, and bees. While gatherings and events may not be what they used to be due to the Covid-19 situation, some events and celebrations are still happening. One local event that will still be running is the lighting of Airdrie City Hall on 06/25/2021 in celebration of Pollinator Week 2021.
Pollinators and You
Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, and beetles, oh my! These animals, among many other small mammals, are responsible for bringing us one in every three bites of food we eat. They also help keep stability in our ecosystems and produce natural resources by helping plants reproduce.
These plants are:
- Plants that bring us countless fruits, nuts, and vegetables
- Half of the world’s oils, fibres, and raw materials
- Plants whose root systems prevent soil erosion
- Plants that increase carbon sequestration
Plant ecosystems, while basically invisible to us in our day-to-day lives, are fundamentally precious for the life of all beings. Unfortunately, as evidence around the globe suggests, they are increasingly in jeopardy.
How can we help?
We can have a very real impact in helping our pollinators thrive and do their jobs by changing things in our own yards! Creating more natural habitat space is one of the easiest places to begin; providing bee, bug, or bat houses on your property gives them a safe, unthreatened space and is largely beneficial to their wellbeing, especially if they have lost access to their natural roosts or habitats. Planting the right plants in your yard, joining an initiative to plant more native plants, developing new protected spaces, or further improving currently protected spaces for natural species of both plants and animals is also largely beneficial. We don’t have to stop there, either. We can help spread the word about our important pollinators and support local farmers and beekeepers that use sustainable practices that benefit us and the pollinators. You can also donate to help support further research or join a group that does research and educates people on pollinators, their importance, their impact, and how we can further assist them.
We hope this gives you more insight into why we have a National Pollinator Week. It is important to protect our pollinator friends, and we can assist them in our ecosystems to have healthier, more stable ecosystems for generations to come.
Check out our article on solitary bees for more info on how you can help pollinators!
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