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While the rusty patched bumble bee is the only bee in the continental US currently listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), its plight is likely to be repeated by more of our 4,000 native bee species... unless more people take action. If you're on the Pollinator Pathway, you're already making a difference. And on a broader scale, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and its partners are taking action on behalf of the rusty patched to protect its endangered grassland habitat. This is the NRDC's fourth legal action to provide the rusty patched bumble bee with the legal protection it needs. Read more about the NRDC's lawsuit here.

"A grass-roots movement is transforming traditional landscapes into pollinator way stations", writes Susan Shea in the April issue of Natural History. "Amidst the historic homes, posh estates, and manicured lawns of southwestern Connecticut, a new, almost radical, movement is gaining strength." Read the full article here.

By Cathy Smith After listening to a few episodes recently of the WPKN Radio Show Digging in the Dirt with host Kevin Gallagher , I kept asking myself - how did I, an avid gardener and nature lover, not know about this amazing show before? Digging in the Dirt is devoted to digging a little deeper into issues related to the environment, gardening, farming and food. In fact, Kevin considers himself an environmental information activist with a mission to help people reconnect with nature. Kevin has worked at WPKN, a listener-supported radio station in Bridgeport, CT, for over 20 years. Several years ago he says " I decided that what I really wanted to do was to start talking about what interests me most – which is gardening and farming and how to improve and how to get better at it." So he started Digging in the Dirt, and at last count he's logged over 120 programs. "I try to do big picture stuff – the serious issues that are facing our planet," says Kevin, "along with the little stuff that we’re doing in our own backyards, and I think it’s all intertwined." A long-time environmentalist – he traces it back to visiting Sequoia National Forest with his father as a child – he believes that we have become disconnected from nature at our personal and global peril. Through his show he’s aiming to nudge people to reconnect with the natural world . And he hopes they’ll encourage their kids to dig in the dirt too – starting young is the best way to ingrain a sense of respect, awe and ultimately empathy for the natural world. You can listen to my interview with Kevin now. And then make sure to check out the Digging in the Dirt archive to hear lively conversations with environmentalists, climate change activists, organic gardeners and more. Recent guests include Doug Tallamy, author of Nature's Best Hope and Bringing Nature Home, Seed Huntress Sefra Alexander and Pollinator Pathway's own Louise Washer. Kevin also invites you to become more Earth-aware with his weekly feature Gaiagram, "environmental headlines from around a planet in crisis". So tune in! It just might be the smartest thing you do today.

By Mary Wilson The issue of coated seeds came to light recently when a severe contamination event was reported from an ethanol plant in Nebraska that was using coated corn seed for raw material. The seed corn, like the vast majority of seed corn in the U.S., had been coated with a pesticide, a neonicotinoid (neonic) that caused odors, strange illnesses in people, pets and wildlife, including near-by bee populations. The pollution had been spread through the company’s wastewater, as well as solid waste byproducts applied to the fields and sold to local farmers. Pesticides used in seed coatings are not regulated by the federal government once the coating has been applied. This scenario is likely not unique since neonic seed treatments are used on at least 160 million acres of U.S. crops (corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton) each year. This accounts for nearly half of all U.S. crop land and represents the largest single use of insecticides in the country. Seeds, in essence, become pesticide delivery devices, with no federal oversight once the seeds have been coated. There are no federal requirements for safe handling, storage, disposal or even labeling. Farmers in most states do not know what is on their seed when they buy it and have no idea that any precautions should be taken. Additionally, federal tracking of pesticide data is greatly underestimating harm to the environment since neonic treated seeds are not considered to be a pesticide application by the EPA and thus are not tracked. Most of the pesticide in the coating becomes contamination of soil or water resources. Despite the fact that these seed coatings are applied to control insects that may feed upon seedlings, it is surprising that much of that pesticide coating does not actually enter the crop itself. Depending on the crop, only about five percent of the active chemical enters the plant. The remaining 95 percent of the pesticide is left to pollute the environment through seed dust or soil contamination and water runoff. This situation creates multiple toxic routes which can affect bees and other wildlife through the contaminated plant, air pollution, and toxic run-off. Studies have shown harmful effects on bumblebees and other wild bees, butterflies, beneficial insects as well as freshwater dependent species. Pesticide seed coatings generally do not increase crop yields. Most U.S. studies and new studies from the E.U. show that yields for common crops do not increase with the use of neonic seed coatings. While there may be some benefit depending on crop, climate and insect species, such benefit is frequently offset by the fact that most of the pesticide does not get to the plant. Additionally there are issues of harm to beneficial insects and resistance to the pesticide over time. Many think that integrated pest management (IPM) methods are the best control of pests without the use of seed treatments. And yet nearly 100% of corn seeds are treated with neonics. Not all seed coatings are pesticides. It should be noted there are seed coatings other than neonics. Sometimes very small seeds are coated so that they are easier to handle. Some grass seeds are coated with a material that aids in moisture retention. And sometimes fungicides are used as seed coatings. Kim Stoner of CAES says that “As far as I know, seeds treated with neonics are sold only to commercial growers, not to home gardeners. However, seeds treated with fungicides are sold to gardeners.” Fortunately, coated seeds have a brightly colored metallic look. It would be wise to handle any such seeds with caution. Unfortunately in many states coated seeds are not labeled, leaving the buyer unaware of any environmental or health concerns. Connecticut provides guidance to farmers who use neonic coated seeds and requires labeling of such seeds. The Connecticut Act Concerning Pollinator Health provides information and alternatives to farmers who use seeds coated with neonics, the aim being to reduce airborne dust associated with the planting process. An Act Concerning Connecticut’s Seed Law requires adequate labeling of coated seeds with the chemical or generic name of the coating substance for all treated agricultural, vegetable and flower seeds. The provision requires a cautionary statement in the event that the seed is harmful to human or other vertebrate animals. Harm to invertebrates (bees, butterflies, and insects) and harm to the environment are NOT covered. Even though Connecticut requires labeling, farmers may not know the names of neonics when they see the chemical or generic names on the label. Consumers should avoid seeds with the following chemical names: imadacloprid, clothianidin, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam and thiacloprid. Even with some state regulations regarding use and labeling of such seeds, Kim Stoner comments that “There is very little regulation or even tracking of treated seeds once they are sold to the farmer. Thus, the lack of statistics, and thus the situation at the ethanol plant in Nebraska.” CONCLUSION: Neonic-coated seeds are another example of indiscriminate poisoning of pollinators and ecosystems. As we learn more about the interconnectedness of natural systems, we realize that trying to fix one problem with yet another toxic pesticide may cause detrimental and sometimes far-reaching negative outcomes Whether you are a farmer, a small land owner, or a homeowner, managing the land using organic methods and concepts will help to reduce overload of chemicals to our landscapes. References: Gurian-Shepard, Doug PhD, June 2015, The Hidden Costs of Toxic Seed Coatings, Center for Food Safety Hoyle, Sarah and Black, Scott, Ethanol Plant Causes Severe Contamination in Nebraska, Xerces blog, January 2021 Quarles, William, August 2019, Neonic Seeds are Not Needed, The IPM Practioner, Vol. XXXVI Stoner, Kimberly, February 8, 2021, email communication, CAES Walker, Larissa, December 6, 2016, EPA Should Stop Sugarcoating the Catastrophic Effects of Neonic Seed Coatings, Center for Food Safety

My name is Devon Wolfe and I am a current intern for the Norwalk River Watershed Association/Pollinator Pathways Northeast. I am a Darien native who loves the outdoors. I graduated from Greens Farms Academy with a concentration in global studies, and I attend Claremont McKenna College in California where I am majoring in economics and minoring in gender studies. On campus I am captain of the women’s tennis team, serve as a first year guide to incoming students, and as a research analyst for the financial economics institute. I am passionate about sustainability and spend my time reading about low-carbon and efficient infrastructure, hydroelectric fuel cells, wildlife protection, and equal access to clean water. I am beyond grateful to be working with the NRWA and Pollinator pathways who are transforming our communities, and my current project entails outlining key 2021 policy legislation regarding toxic chemicals and land conservation.

We're delighted to report that the Winter 2021 issue of 2 Million Blossoms features an in-depth story on the Pollinator Pathway Northeast by freelance writer and nature lover Greta Burroughs. Launched in January 2020, 2 Million Blossoms offers readers 100+ pages of insight, exploration, science, and how-to's along with gorgeous illustrations and photographs, all dedicated to protecting our pollinators. Click here to read Pollinator Pathways: Restoring an Ecosystem. If you enjoy it, you're bound to love all the content in this beautiful quarterly publication. Until March 31, 2 Million Blossoms is offering all Pollinator Pathway members and Buzz readers a special discount on annual subscriptions. To subscribe, go to 2 Million Blossoms, click on the Subscribe tab and enter discount code POLLINATORPATHWAYS for $5.00 off when you check out. Applies to both digital and print subscriptions. Then get ready to pedal along the migratory route of monarchs, learn how to provide nesting habitat for solitary bees, chase bees through the desert to find rare sources of water, become a better beekeeper and active steward of the environment, explore mountain ranges and vast prairies in search of pollinators, and adventure far without ever leaving your home.

By Cathy Smith Carpenter bees (genus Xylocopa) are our largest native bee, along with bumble bee queens. There are several species in North America, but the most common in the North East is Xylocopa virginica. You've no doubt seen them hovering near your house - they look like large bumble bees but with a shiny, hairless abdomen. And all carpenter bees have one thing in common - they are expert pollinators. They do it by buzz pollination - using their buzzing vibrations to remove and collect pollen from flowers, thereby fertilizing them. While their tunnel-excavating ways can be a bit of a nuisance for homeowners, they do far more good than harm. Given their role as power pollinators and that fact that they are pretty docile (the males don't sting and the females only do if provoked), it is alarming to see carpenter bee killing products pop up in local stores. Instead of "eliminating" carpenter bees, as these products promise, let's just try to gently redirect them. "As forests are cut down and manicured, many of these dead trees are the first to be removed. This leaves carpenter bees with very few options for nesting sites. It’s not difficult to see why our houses, decks, and barns look inviting to such a creature," according to Spriggly's Beescaping. Fortunately there are some steps you can take to deter carpenter bees from nesting in your wooden structures. The first is to provide them with some natural alternatives - leaving some wood piles and dead trees on your property, for example. Other measures include: - paint or stain your wooden structures. Carpenter bees like their wood untreated. - try citrus oil as a repellant. - plug old bee holes. - create some noise with wind chimes or other devices that are pleasant to humans but enough to make a carpenter bee look elsewhere. And maybe the next time you see a product designed to eliminate carpenter bees, suggest to the store owner they eliminate the product instead! For more details, read How to Stop Carpenter Bees Naturally And for more on buzz pollination, check out Buzz pollination: studying bee vibrations on flowers

By Pinar O’Flaherty and Haven Colgate Hastings-on-Hudson, NY has long prided itself on its environmental record. Active residents have succeeded in many initiatives, from recycling programs, awareness campaigns, and expanding alternative energy installations to establishing a community composting program and ecological restorations, and they have helped the town become one of only seven municipalities achieving silver status in the state’s Climate Smart Communities program. It was only a matter of time before Hastings residents would form the Hastings Pollinator Pathway (HPP). The pandemic presented our small volunteer group of residents the time and opportunity to kick off the effort. Meeting weekly on Zoom, we researched pollinator pathway programs in other communities and set out on a mission to encourage residents to devote some space to native pollinator plants. We launched the Hastings Pollinator Pathway website in July, later adding a Facebook group, an Instagram account, and created a monthly newsletter to share resources and spread the word on area programs. We liaised with our Village trustees to include native plants in municipal construction projects and helped launch and promote a new Adopt-a-Spot program to give residents a formal way to install pollinator gardens on traffic islands, roadside verges and park corners. Our goal is to increase pollinator habitat and to create pathways between large green spaces to assist pollinators in their migrations. Since the bulk of our Village land is residential yards, we set out to encourage homeowners to add native pollinating plants to their gardens. Our target gardens range from potted plants on apartment-dwelling balconies to half-acre residential properties, area business and institutional properties, and municipal ones, including Hastings’ public parks. HPP project members spent the summer walking residential streets, scouting for existing pollinator gardens and noting the most critical gaps in habitat. We wrote hundreds of postcards to ask residents to add their gardens to their pathway map and join the HPP project, regardless of their garden’s current status. Nearly one hundred residents added themselves to our map, self-classifying into one of four categories, from “I’m not sure how to get started” to “my yard is pollinator heaven.” They included enthusiastic comments like, “I am super excited to find a way to help support our ecosystem in my own yard. I am going pesticide free, and working on incorporating more and more native plants! Next step is to de-lawn the grassy areas.” The HPP was thrilled by the positive response, but what really stood out for them were comments like, “How can I help?” and, perhaps most importantly, “I’m so excited about this, but I need help.” We created the Pollineighbor program to answer the two questions: “how can I help?” and “how can I get started?” We cross-referenced comments with the village map and began matching neighbors in need with their closest Pollineighbor, sometimes even recruiting those with established gardens who hadn’t yet volunteered. We now have online forms on our site for easy sign-up to offer expertise as a Pollineighbor or connect with one if you need direction. Pollineighbors offer a range of support, from advice on what to plant to sharing plants and seeds from their own gardens, and sometimes even some hands-on, “how-to” help. We find that neighbors talking to neighbors establishes the most pollinator-friendly, native-rich gardens, and that gardens influence other gardeners. This is a new program, so we are always looking for new Pollineighbors and encourage anyone with enthusiasm and knowledge to share to sign up! You don’t have to be an expert on native plants or have an exclusively native garden to participate. We just ask that you’re committed to being pesticide free and open to learning and sharing about the benefits of planting natives for pollinators. With spring in mind, additional Pollineighbor program plans are in the works, including in-garden demos, a village pathway parade, a seed exchange, and other events - pandemic permitting - through which gardeners, expert or novice, can meet to share tips, seeds, plants, and more. The HPP envisions a post-pandemic time when “garden-raising” events can bring neighbors together to help expand existing gardens or help new pollinator gardeners create habitats from the grassroots up. Most passionate gardeners can recall time spent side-by-side with a more experienced gardener, digging, sowing and planting in the dirt. Pollineighbors grow more than gardens.

The Pollinator Pathway is a project organized by volunteers from town conservation organizations (listed on each town's page) working together to establish pollinator-friendly habitat and food sources for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinating insects and wildlife along a series of continuous corridors. Most native bees have a range of about 750 meters, so the goal is to connect properties that are no farther apart than that. This project began in 2017 in Wilton, CT. Since then, pathways have been established in over 200 towns in CT, NY, MA, NJ, PA, RI, OR and the list keeps growing. The above map shows the towns in lower Fairfield County in CT that have joined together to provide this important connected habitat. To continue this growth, we invite you to start a Pollinator Pathway in your town. The following are some simple steps that have proved invaluable. Organize a group of interested conservation organizations (garden club, land trust, watershed organization, nature center, town conservation commission…). Create a steering committee of volunteers from each organization. Identify land of highest conservation value to the community, and identify a pathway that connects these areas as well as open spaces already protected. The Hudson to Housatonic Regional Conservation Partnership (H2H) can provide access to regional strategic conservation maps for planning purposes for groups in the following counties: Fairfield (CT), Westchester, Dutchess, or Putnam (NY). Hold a “kick-off” event at your library or community center to announce the launch of your pollinator pathway. Host speakers to discuss threats to pollinators, the importance of native plants to their survival, alternatives to pesticides… Contact us for speaker list. Let us know if you would like to have a page on the Pollinator-pathway.org website where you can list events and contact information for those interested in joining. Consider setting up a Facebook page, like @Wilton Pollinator Pathway, for example. Raise money through donations or grants to remove invasives and plant native plants in your town’s open spaces. Invite the community to volunteer at planting events. Show volunteers which plants are the local invasives and which natives are good replacements, then put everyone to work! So far, these organizations have supported plantings with grants: Sustainable CT, REI, FactSet, CT Ornithological Society, Patagonia, Hartford Audubon, several Rotary Clubs and Garden Clubs, and private foundations like Anne Richardson Fund and Global Preservation Society. Contact residents along the designated pathway and invite them to avoid using pesticides and add native plants to their landscaping. Consider offering that garden club members will visit on-site to advise on how to add native tree, shrubs, perennials or a meadow and which plants will work best in their yard. Consider sponsoring workshops for building bird houses and mason bee hotels, sponsor butterfly walks and talks on issues related to pollinators. Engage with your local municipality to enact a resolution or proclamation that will provide safety for pollinators. To read about what other municipalities have accomplished click here. Contact the local paper and engage them in helping to publicize the plight of pollinators and what your town is doing to help support them. Engage volunteers and residents in citizen science projects: keep a count of plants your town adds to its pathway; sponsor local bee, butterfly & bird counts; take part in Bumble Bee Watch, INaturalist, City Nature Challenge, or in NY the Empire State Native Pollinator Survey. Keep in touch and share ideas! More information on each of these steps is available. Contact us with questions at Info@pollinator-pathway. To download the Pollinator Pathway toolkit including logos, brochures and handouts, please click here: Pollinator Pathway Toolkit.

Join Pollinator Pathway groups in Norwalk, Wilton, New Canaan, Ridgefield and Redding in Connecticut who have already worked with One Tree Planted to help fund the planting of trees that are critical for our native bee species. Click here to fill out the One Tree Planted grant form. It takes less than 10 minutes to complete! One Tree Planted is an environmental charity dedicated to making it easier for individuals and businesses to give back to the environment. We are focused on creating a healthier climate, protecting biodiversity and supporting reforestation efforts around the world!

Many of us live in homes surrounded by lawn. We have learned to avoid fertilizers and pesticides that turn our ponds scummy and threaten the health of our children and pets. But yet, we are accustomed to that neat and tidy platter of green. It’s an aesthetic that is so ingrained that we think anything perceived as “messy” risks a backlash. Afterall, neighbors can get irritated if things don’t “look good”. But here’s the rap—we’re in deep trouble in terms of fundamentals. Our landscapes are in decline. We already suffer from fragmentation, invasives, deer browse, and herbicides. Maybe the time has come to consider a new aesthetic not dependent on chronic mowing which turns our properties into dead zones for wildlife. What can we do? PLANT FLOWERS!! Flowers were designed by plants to attract and accommodate the animal that 80% of them depend on for survival—bees. “But wait...” you say, “Don’t bees sting? Why would I want to attract bees to my yard?” Because, if you plant NATIVE flowers, you’ll attract NATIVE bees. Native bees have no interest in stinging you. Except for the bumblebee, they are solitary creatures with no hive to defend. Only female native bees have the potential to sting and 1⁄4 of those females have a stinger that is so ineffective that it can’t penetrate skin. Moreover, if you happened to squish a female native bee and get a sting, there is no known allergic reaction in humans. Thanks to the work of Brett Gilman, a June 2020 Wilton (CT) High School graduate, we have a guide for creating a flowering lawn substitute that will make your neighbors envious. Brett’s passion is eco-landscaping and habitat restoration for pollinators. Inspired by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West’s book Planting in a Post Wild World, he has developed an aesthetically pleasing palette of native flowering plants, grasses, and ground cover by thinking structurally and designing with large groupings of plants that bloom in early, mid, and late season. After working as Wilton Land Conservation Trust’s field ranger and open space manager this past summer, Brett created a landscape plan for a biodiversity sanctuary on a protected open space parcel in the heart of the Wilton Pollinator Pathway. His plantings provide overlapping bloom times, differing flower shapes and heights, and stunning coloration. By changing the number of plants used in a grouping, a homeowner can replace a section of lawn as small as 10’ x 10’ or as large as 1⁄2 acre especially if shrubs are added as larval hosts for butterflies (see Doug Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home). Here are some of Brett’s plant choices for native plants to use in that sunny space of your yard that is now lawn: Spring combo: Left to Right - Lyreleaf sage (Salvia lyrata), Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) and Hairy beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus) Mid-summer combos: #1 Rattlesnake master (Button eryngium); Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum); Pale Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) #2 Spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata); Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Fall combos: Early goldenrod (Solidago juncea) and Sweet goldenrod (Solidago odora) Smooth aster (Symphyotricum laeve) and White heath aster (Symphyotricum ericoides) Grasses: Prairie dropseed (Sporoabolis heterolepsis) and Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Ground cover: Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry) It’s up to each of us to inspire others to think differently about our outdated lawn paradigm. The decision to change what you do has to be a conscious one. But imagine the impact if, by growing flowers instead of turf, we alter the perception of beauty from a lawn clipped and mowed into sterile perfection to one that is an array of flowers that bloom from spring until frost.

“Winter sown seedlings grow into healthy, sturdy plants. Plants will be ready to thrive in the garden when spring arrives.” - Trudy Davidoff, Creator of the Winter Seed Sowing Method Photo courtesy of Laura Paulsen Collard Few things in life are more satisfying than growing plants from seed. This winter have some fun sowing native seeds and banish the winter doldrums. There is no need for expensive or sophisticated facilities to propagate native plants. You can sow seeds directly into your garden beds or flats, or sow seeds in a recycled translucent plastic jug or other container, to be left outside over winter. Many native perennials have a reputation for being difficult to germinate. That is largely the result of some general confusion about dormancy and germination. Many natives are actually easy to grow from seed and have high germination rates. The seeds of native plants have built-in dormancy mechanisms which protect them from germinating before killing frosts or in times of drought. In the wild, seeds will lie dormant until the proper conditions for growth occur. Putting your seeds outside to over-winter and providing enough moisture will create the proper conditions. So, skip those complicated pre-sowing seed treatment recommendations and let nature do the work by just leaving your seeds outside. Seed propagation maintains the genetic diversity inherent in wild native plants. In the wild most plants reproduce sexually by seed. After the flowers are pollinated, seeds are formed with genes from multiple individuals. This genetic variability or diversity can allow individual plants to adapt to changing environmental conditions, such as drought and heat, and enhance disease resistance. You may be able to use seeds of local origin or ecotype seeds. Ecotype seeds are seeds from parent stock that has evolved and adapted to your area over time – your geology, soils, elevation, temperature, rainfall, insects, diseases, pests etc. Do not transplant your seedlings into a larger pot until they have a pair of true leaves, and when you do, transplant several seedlings together into one pot. Seedlings do not do as well with too much space. Anise hyssop and black-eyed Susan often bloom the first year. You can also sow re-seeding annuals and vegetables. Here are some great options for winter sowing: Anise hyssop Asters Coreopsis Penstemon Mountain mint Goldenrod Black-eyed Susan Coral bells Baptisia Salvia Veronica Here is a fact sheet with info to get you started winter seed sowing: University of Illinois Fact Sheet And another great site to visit from Wild Seed Project Here is a Facebook group for winter sowers. You can find more plants for your consideration at this Bumble Bee Banquet video, along with great advice for creating a succession of blooming wildflowers, trees and shrubs from early spring through fall. Recommended reading: Starting from Seed: The Natural Gardener’s Guide to Propagating Plants, from Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 21st Century Gardening Series Growing and Propagating Wild Flowers, Henry R. Phillips Making More Plants: The Science, Art and Joy of Propagation, Ken Druse