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Pollinators: Downward Trends and Lofty Goals
Citation:
Lehmann, D. Pollinators: Downward Trends and Lofty Goals. National Active and Retired Federal Employees Assocation, Raleigh, NC, May 02, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
Pollinators are essential to natural and managed landscapes. Recent estimates indicate that 40% of insect pollinators and 16% of vertebrate pollinators are at risk of extinction. Without pollinators biodiversity would be diminished as would the nutritional value of our diet. This presentation is intended to raise awareness for these issues and to highlight EPA efforts to protect pollinators.
Description:
Pollinators are essential to natural and managed landscapes. By providing critical pollination services, bees, birds, beetles, butterflies, bats and other animals enhance biodiversity and contribute to production of many nutritious foods. Honey bees alone pollinate 90 commercial crops and add more than $11 billion dollars in value to the agricultural economy annually. But, populations of many pollinators are in serious decline on a global scale. Recent estimates indicate that 40% of insect pollinators and 16% of vertebrate pollinators are at risk of extinction. Without pollinators biodiversity would be diminished as would the nutritional value of our diet. In response to these concerns, the EPA and USDA lead a federal task force to develop a strategy for addressing this potential crisis. This presentation is intended to raise awareness for the issues adversely affecting pollinators, the federal response to these issues and to highlight EPA efforts to protect pollinators.