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Pollinator
Workshop to be held in Shelby County
As you’ve heard by now, Monarch butterflies, honey bees, and other
pollinating insects have been declining at alarming rates throughout
Ohio and the Midwest. Did you know that pollinators are responsible for
over 15 billion dollars in agriculture each year? Without them, many of
our favorite and most common foods would cease to exist. Adequate
habitat is the most critical component lacking for many of these
species.
Ideal pollinator habitat includes a diverse mixture of flowering
plants, (wildflowers, legumes, shrubs, and trees) which will provide
year round cover and nectar sources. The presence of these pollinating
insects will attract upland birds, like ring-necked pheasants, bobwhite
quail, wild turkeys, and many songbirds. These protein-rich insects
make up over 90% of a young bird’s diet, so creating this habitat is
critical for their lifecycles as well!
Darke County Pheasants Forever Chapter has recently focused their
efforts on creating this pollinator-friendly habitat. They have
recently joined forces with the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative
(OPHI), a group of conservation partners also pursuing the same
task. Together they are impacting properties large and small by
creating more habitat for pollinating insects, and all wildlife
species. Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of
Wildlife, Division of Forestry, Pheasants/Quail Forever, Natural
Resources Conservation Service, The Ohio State University Extension,
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Wild Turkey Federation and
Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Districts are all sponsoring an event
that you should be made aware of.
You’re invited to a pollinator wildlife habitat workshop in Shelby
County, June 29th, 2016 from 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Taking place on Jim
Scheer’s farm, wildlife professionals will be there to present the most
current information on pollinator habitat. Topics like beekeeping,
plant identification, milkweed and monarchs, and pollinators in
woodlands will all be covered here. Most importantly, the workshop will
provide landowners with the knowledge and skills to establish and
manage pollinator-friendly habitat on their own properties.
This event is $10 per person and includes dinner and a folder full of
reference materials to take home. All participants must pre-register
with the Shelby SWCD by June 24th. A flyer with details and a
registration form is available at www.ShelbySWCD.org or the Shelby SWCD
Office. For further information about the workshop or with questions
about creating pollinator habitat, please contact Jason Jones, local
Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologist, at (937) 423-0904,
jjones@pheasantsforever.org or Darke County Soil and Water Conservation
District (SWCD) (937) 548-1752.
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