You may have heard about the extensive study of pollinators happening in Colorado, and wondered how Baseline stacks up. Below, Amy Yarger of the Butterfly Pavillion breaks it down.
CO Pollinator Health Study — What You Need to Know
By Amy Yarger, Senior Director of Horticulture, Butterfly Pavilion
The state of pollinators
If you are a resident of Baseline — a certified Pollinator District — you probably understand the importance of pollinators. Our quality of life here depends on these small creatures, from the availability of fresh food to the survival of our beautiful natural areas.
Colorado not only has over 1,000 bee species and almost 300 butterfly species, but also flies, beetles, and other insects that transport pollen. These animals are found in every ecosystem in our state, from our prairies to our alpine tundra to wetlands to deserts. Colorado is also fortunate to have an engaged community of educators, scientists and advocates for these important animals.
Now, the state of Colorado has taken an important step for our future and the future of pollinators. In 2022, Senate Bill 22-199 was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis, commissioning a native pollinating insect health study through the Department of Natural Resources.
No study like this had ever been done in Colorado before, and it required a year-long collaborative effort by Deryn Davidson (CSU Extension), Dr. Adrian Carper (University of CO Museum of Natural History) and Steve Armstead (Xerces Society), as well as many other local and national experts.
These authors reviewed the existing scientific literature about native pollinating insects, asked state agencies and researchers about their priorities and practices, and compiled recommendations for ensuring the health of our pollinator communities.
While the study focuses on state agencies and programs, the general recommendations are relevant to any of us who want to help pollinators.
5 PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED
- Protect at-risk insect species
- Prioritize pollinator habitat
- Address negative environmental impacts on pollinators
- Reduce pesticide risk
- Monitor pollinator health.
There's work to be done
The study found that protected lands and diverse habitats help Colorado’s pollinators, but that human-caused environmental change poses a significant threat to their continued diversity and abundance — specifically habitat loss, detrimental land management practices, pesticide use, exotic plant and insect species, and climate change. All must be addressed to support healthy pollinator populations in Colorado.
But there is more research to be done, especially about the impacts of non-native plants and insects on native pollinator interactions, as well as the about the impacts of pesticides on pollinator health, especially in urban areas like Baseline. There are also groups of pollinators that we know less about, such as flies, beetles, moths, and wasps.
To address the threats to pollinators, the study identifies five main priorities: protecting at-risk insect species, prioritizing pollinator habitat, addressing negative environmental impacts on pollinators, reducing pesticide risk, and monitoring pollinator health.
What that means in practice runs the gamut from state collaborations with individuals and organizations to plant more habitat to creating long-term plans for land management on state lands.
Baseline's leading the way
As part of its Pollinator District certification, Baseline is already following many of the recommended practices – setting aside natural areas for connected habitat, creating oases for native pollinators throughout neighborhoods and parks, avoiding pesticides, and collecting data about our native and managed pollinators.
It’s communities like Baseline that provide a model for how important research like this can be put into practice in our communities and neighborhoods for the future.
RESOURCES
If you’d like to learn more, read the full study.
If you’d like to help track Baseline’s own pollinators, upload your pictures to our iNaturalist page.