Accent on Natural Landscaping

Good news! Recently the federal Highway Trust Fund was renewed through the FAST Act with the provision encouraging pollinator habitat along roadsides intact (HR 22, Sec 1415). It is encouraging to know that the FAST Act with the Highways BEE Act (HR 2738) included was overwhelmingly approved by both House and Senate and signed into law Friday, December 4, 2015, by President Obama. This means governments will continue to develop more habitat for pollinators, and has funding to do so.

I know you’ll agree with me that our nation’s 17 million acres of highway provide an enormous opportunity to create healthy pollinator habitats and forages along right-of-ways. If you get a chance, send a thank you to the US Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee (EPW) and to  Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Jeff Merkley (OR) who sponsored the amendment to the DRIVE Act and to Reps Alcee Hastings (FL) and Jeff Denham (CA) who sponsored the Highways BEE Act. These two acts together will bolster the habitat for our native pollinating species along highway right-of-ways. In doing so, tell them that it will be important that future amendments continue to stress the use of native plants and seed in the development of these lands, since most non-native plants do not offer the same ecosystem value that native plants do for our native pollinators.

You might even send them a link to the latest Mysteries Explored article by Maryann Whitman in the Wild Ones Journal. In this article, Maryann explains that the critical role plants play in nature is supporting food webs, and the difference, based on Doug Tallamy‘s research, between native and non-native plants in supporting the food webs.

 

The news from Xerces Society is that the count for the wintering western monarchs is up from last season. Just a little, but it still warrants a hurrah! I’m anxious to hear the count for the monarchs in their Mexico winter quarters.

On Feb 25th 2-3pm EST, Monarch Joint Venture and the National Conservation Training Center will present a webinar focusing on western monarchs. Pre-registration and details.

There is still a lot of work to be done to rebuild habitat for monarchs and to conserve space for their breeding, migrating and overwintering habitats. So plan to do your part; plant some extra milkweed plants this spring!

This is old news, but I wanted to share this because it makes me so hopeful for the future. On May 19, 2015, the White House issued the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. Preserving, restoring and establishing native plant communities is the most effective way to preserve habitat for native pollinators – bees, butterflies (including monarchs), ants and bats. I see this strategy as a step in the right direction toward better native habitat development, management and protection. It should also give us a more comprehensive pesticide regulation. Native pollinators are an essential part of a healthy environment and our very livelihood, and this White House action makes their protection a national initiative. In the days to come, I’ll be posting about more actions as a result of this new strategy. Read more about the Pollinator Health Task Force.