shrub lands recently scorched by fire, use annual and short-lived perennial native
forb species to provide blooms in the first year, seed forbs with different flowering
times, cover seeds with weed-free hays to retain moisture, consult local experts).
5.4.5 Grasslands
Open grasslands including parks, roadways, railways, wild lands, recreational areas
can be managed to become quality pollinator habitats in addition to their intended
uses (take regional approach, restore native prairie, convert nonnative grasslands to
native prairies and meadows, increase native flowering species, reduce mowing or
time after blooming, remove undesirable plant species, plant a variety of flowering
species to provide floral resources across a longer period of time).
5.4.6 Riparian Areas
Manage areas around riverbanks, wet meadows, springs, fens, etc., to provide
diverse plants for foraging (maintain hydraulic function within watersheds to aid
water-dependent native plants, reduce wetland drainage that reduce riparian plant
cover, seed native plants, maintain vegetative structure for pollinator nesting, control
invasive plants, develop grazing policies if needed, minimize broad-spectrum
pesticides).
5.4.7 Wildlife Openings
Artificial gaps in dense forest can stimulate more natural heterogeneous habitats and
forage for pollinators (remove woody plants for more sun, replace nonnative species
with native, use mixed wildflower seed to provide floral resources for a longer period
of time, select plants that can serve as butterfly larval hosts, plant pollinator-friendly
trees along field margins for long-term floral resources, maintain wildlife openings
with mowing and control of woody species).
6 Conclusions
The honey bee is essentially our ambassador for pollinators. Given the importance of
pollinators to not only our environment but a significant proportion of our agriculture
and economy, it behooves us to actively support both managed honey bee and wild
populations. Failure to address pollinator decline within our abilities will harm
apiculture sustainability, reduce crop production, lower the quality of our plant
food sources, and increase operating costs that cascade down to everyone who
buys food to put on the table.
42
C. Li
forb species to provide blooms in the first year, seed forbs with different flowering
times, cover seeds with weed-free hays to retain moisture, consult local experts).
5.4.5 Grasslands
Open grasslands including parks, roadways, railways, wild lands, recreational areas
can be managed to become quality pollinator habitats in addition to their intended
uses (take regional approach, restore native prairie, convert nonnative grasslands to
native prairies and meadows, increase native flowering species, reduce mowing or
time after blooming, remove undesirable plant species, plant a variety of flowering
species to provide floral resources across a longer period of time).
5.4.6 Riparian Areas
Manage areas around riverbanks, wet meadows, springs, fens, etc., to provide
diverse plants for foraging (maintain hydraulic function within watersheds to aid
water-dependent native plants, reduce wetland drainage that reduce riparian plant
cover, seed native plants, maintain vegetative structure for pollinator nesting, control
invasive plants, develop grazing policies if needed, minimize broad-spectrum
pesticides).
5.4.7 Wildlife Openings
Artificial gaps in dense forest can stimulate more natural heterogeneous habitats and
forage for pollinators (remove woody plants for more sun, replace nonnative species
with native, use mixed wildflower seed to provide floral resources for a longer period
of time, select plants that can serve as butterfly larval hosts, plant pollinator-friendly
trees along field margins for long-term floral resources, maintain wildlife openings
with mowing and control of woody species).
6 Conclusions
The honey bee is essentially our ambassador for pollinators. Given the importance of
pollinators to not only our environment but a significant proportion of our agriculture
and economy, it behooves us to actively support both managed honey bee and wild
populations. Failure to address pollinator decline within our abilities will harm
apiculture sustainability, reduce crop production, lower the quality of our plant
food sources, and increase operating costs that cascade down to everyone who
buys food to put on the table.
42
C. Li