Mar 27, 2015

Bees and Pollinators Video Educates the Horticulture IndustrySource: AmericanHort

The Horticultural Research Institute has collaborated with AmericanHort, Society of American Florists and the American Floral Endowment to produce an educational video providing information on the industry’s role in bee and pollinator stewardship.

“Protecting Bees & Pollinators: What Horticulture Needs to Know,” illustrates the state of bee and pollinator health; provides information on factors that impact pollinators and the environment including the use of pesticides; and emphasizes the beneficial role horticulture plays in providing healthy and nurturing pollinator ecosystems.

“We know that horticulture provides essential food sources for pollinator populations. And we also know that some consumers are concerned about pesticide use,” says Michael V. Geary, president and CEO of AmericanHort. “To help us answer the tough questions posed by gardeners and consumers, we’ve gathered top minds in conservation, research and pest management to educate and inform us on this issue. We are also funding and leveraging research on best practices for our members.”

The video features experts in the fields of conservation, pollinator research and integrated pest management, including:

–Vicki Wojcik, Ph.D., Research Director, Pollinator Partnership
Dr. Wojcik oversees pollinator research for the Pollinator Partnership, an independent organization committed to the protection of native pollinators vital to ecosystems and agriculture.

–Richard Cowles, Ph.D., Entomologist, Connecticut Valley Laboratory
Dr. Cowles is a leading entomologist and researcher with more than 25 years of expertise in the areas of biology, integrated pest management and pest research. Using plants commonly found in the landscape, he is researching systemic insecticide uptake and potential pollinator interactions with nectar and pollen.

–Andrew Bishop, Ph.D., Managing Director, Green Leaf Plants
Andrew Bishop is an internationally recognized expert in all facets of greenhouse plant production and pest management. He is a managing director for Green Leaf Plants in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; providing starter plants to growers in ornamental horticulture, serving global markets from facilities in the U.S. and British Columbia.

– Zac Browning, Owner, Browning’s Honey Co. Inc.
Zac Browning is a fourth-generation commercial beekeeper and honey producer operating more than 20,000 hives for honey production and pollination in multiple states. He has served the beekeeping industry as trustee for the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees, board member of the National Pollinator Defense Fund and as a past president of the American Beekeeping Federation.

The video was produced as part of the Horticultural Industry’s Bee & Pollinator Stewardship Initiative, which was established in 2014 by the Horticultural Research Institute, AmericanHort, SAF and the American Floral Endowment. The initiative was constructed to do the following:

-Convene a task force to develop a bee and pollinator stewardship program, including creation of best management practices for plant production
-Identify and fund research that will help answer key science questions and fill gaps needed to design and refine the stewardship program
-Collaborate with other groups interested in augmenting pollinator habitat and protection.

To view the video, visit www.americanhort.org/AmericanHort/Membership/Private/protect_bees.aspx.

For more information on the Horticultural Industry’s Bee & Pollinator Stewardship Initiative, visit www.americanhort.org/AmericanHort/Knowledge_Center/hri_pollinator_research.aspx.