Recognizing the Importance of Pollinators

In the United States one third of all agricultural output depends on pollinators. Fruit and vegetable growers in New Jersey can attest to the significant role pollinators play in the production of many of our crops. Promoting pollinators' habitat on and near the farm benefits everyone who likes to eat!

Odd areas and idle fields on farms can be used to create habitat for pollinators, such as the wildflower meadow pictured here, established near a hedgerow on a Hunterdon County farm.

Through the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, in New Jersey offers landowners technical and financial assistance for restoring habitat for pollinators in the “early successional habitat” provision. Contact your local NRCS Office for more information about these programs.

Celebrating National Pollinator Week
The third annual National Pollinator Week will be held from June 22-28th, 2009.
Visit the Pollinator Partnership website for more information.

The Buzz on Native Pollinators, published in National Wildlife, features the research of Rachael Winfree of Rutgers University and others. The decline of European honeybee and the ability of local indigenous bees and other pollinating animals to provide pollination services as a backup to honeybees is discussed. Research has shown that local landscapes can help provide native pollinator habitat. With a little help from their human friends these native pollinators may fill the void if honeybees continue to decline.

More About Pollinators

• NRCS Fish and Wildlife Habitat Leaflet Series: Pollinators (Native) available as pdf download
• Celebrating Pollinators - wildflowers, pollinators and posters (USDA Forest Service)
• Why Pollinators are Important? (US Fish & Wildlife)
• Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Program - publications, information for agriculture, gardening, parks, golf courses, and more
• Farming for Pollinators - feature article on national NRCS website
• NBII (National Biological Information Infrastructure) - collaborative program to provide increased access to data and information on the nation's biological resources offers material on pollinators

NJ Biology Technical Note
This document requires Adobe Acrobat.
NJ BIOLOGY TECHNICAL NOTE: Habitat Development for Pollinators (102 kb) - NRCS NJ Technical Note provides information and references on the issue of pollinators

National Pollinator Week

The third week of June is designated National Pollinators Week.

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Last Modified: June 24, 2009