were determined to be linked to bee population declines and a substantive risk to
local ecosystems. The complete phasing-out of neonicotinoid pesticides across the
NWR System is aimed for early 2016 [119].
Following President Obama’s June 2014 memorandum that established the
Pollinator Health Task Force between the US EPA and USDA, a research action
plan was produced to serve as a roadmap for pollinator health research. The
Pollinator Research Action Plan was released as part of the May 2015 National
Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators, which outlines
an approach to reduce stressors on pollinator health. This strategy includes the
following targeted outcomes:
1. Reduce honey bee colony winter losses to a sustainable level of no more than
15% in 10 years (by 2025).
2. Increase the Eastern wintering population of the monarch butterfly to 225 million
butterflies in 5 years (by 2020).
3. Restore or enhance seven million acres of forage land for pollinators in 5 years
(by 2020).
In addition, a comprehensive “Pollinator-Friendly Best Management Practices for
Federal Lands” draft was produced to help facilitate the stated Strategy goals. The
document lists six common habitat types located on US federal lands; some of these
habitat management recommendations for increasing pollinator populations and
diversity are as follows [111]:
5.4.2 Forests
Create canopy openings to allow understory pollinator-friendly plants to grow
(determine specific species for tree thinning and shrub control, treat invasive species
of infected tree stands, manage shrubs and mid-story trees based on a variety of
factors, determine if seeding native plants is necessary to supplement foraging
sources).
5.4.3 Roadsides
Manage roadside vegetation to provide for pollinator needs (plant native flowering
herbaceous plants to provide food for pollinators’ limited foraging ranges, choose
exposed roadsides with access to sunlight, determine areas for tree removal to allow
more sunlight).
5.4.4 Arid and Semiarid Western Shrub Lands
Restore and rehabilitate western rangelands to increase ground cover and food
diversity for native pollinators (sow native flowering plants in arid and semiarid
1 Understanding, Conservation, and Protection of Precious Natural Resources: Bees
41
local ecosystems. The complete phasing-out of neonicotinoid pesticides across the
NWR System is aimed for early 2016 [119].
Following President Obama’s June 2014 memorandum that established the
Pollinator Health Task Force between the US EPA and USDA, a research action
plan was produced to serve as a roadmap for pollinator health research. The
Pollinator Research Action Plan was released as part of the May 2015 National
Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators, which outlines
an approach to reduce stressors on pollinator health. This strategy includes the
following targeted outcomes:
1. Reduce honey bee colony winter losses to a sustainable level of no more than
15% in 10 years (by 2025).
2. Increase the Eastern wintering population of the monarch butterfly to 225 million
butterflies in 5 years (by 2020).
3. Restore or enhance seven million acres of forage land for pollinators in 5 years
(by 2020).
In addition, a comprehensive “Pollinator-Friendly Best Management Practices for
Federal Lands” draft was produced to help facilitate the stated Strategy goals. The
document lists six common habitat types located on US federal lands; some of these
habitat management recommendations for increasing pollinator populations and
diversity are as follows [111]:
5.4.2 Forests
Create canopy openings to allow understory pollinator-friendly plants to grow
(determine specific species for tree thinning and shrub control, treat invasive species
of infected tree stands, manage shrubs and mid-story trees based on a variety of
factors, determine if seeding native plants is necessary to supplement foraging
sources).
5.4.3 Roadsides
Manage roadside vegetation to provide for pollinator needs (plant native flowering
herbaceous plants to provide food for pollinators’ limited foraging ranges, choose
exposed roadsides with access to sunlight, determine areas for tree removal to allow
more sunlight).
5.4.4 Arid and Semiarid Western Shrub Lands
Restore and rehabilitate western rangelands to increase ground cover and food
diversity for native pollinators (sow native flowering plants in arid and semiarid
1 Understanding, Conservation, and Protection of Precious Natural Resources: Bees
41