Over the weekend the white house issued a presidential memorandum that calls attention to the continuing decline of honey bee and native pollinators and set a new agenda to begin addressing the issues head-on. First the memorandum establishes a task forces comprised of numerous governmental departments and organizations. It then goes on to highlight the objectives of the task force, specifically to 1. create a pollinator research action plan, 2. generate a public education plan, and 3. build public-private partnerships to increase and encourage pollinator-friendly habitat.
Buried within the memorandum is a directive for the EPA to assess the effects pesticides, including neonicotinoids, on bees. Another interesting focus is for member agencies to re-evaluate permit and management of power line right-of-ways, areas that could be managed for pollinator habitat. The Department of Agriculture has been given 90 days to come up with best practices to enhance pollinator habitat on federal lands- something it would be very neat to be involved in (so we could help them focus on nesting habitat).
At the same time, the USDA has pledged $8 million to agricultural conservation reserve programs in the midwest states to establish new habitat for honey bees (habitats which also benefit native bees).
In all, Pollinator Week was a resounding success in terms of actions taken on capital hill. This is the largest national effort at pollinator conservation since the Pollinator Habitat Conservation Act in the 2008 Farmbill. I look forward to the exciting research and conservation efforts spurred by this timely and important legislation.
Hillary Sardiñas 