Native Pollinators are Keystone Indicators for Ecosystem Health
Native pollinators - the bees, butterflies, moths, birds, beetles and flies that are responsible for pollinating 75% of the food we eat and 90% of our flowering plants - are keystone species in the natural world, meaning they're vital to healthy, functioning ecosystems. But they're falling in numbers due to continued threats like disease, pesticide poisoning, invasive species, habitat destruction and a changing climate. We need them to help them for our own survival.
Here's how.
Pollinators need chemical-free habitat to thrive:
Food​
Native pollinators co-evolved with native plants, and research indicates landscapes should consist of at least 70% native plant species to create viable habitat for these pollinators. Including a wide diversity of flowers planted in big, like groupings supports a wide diversity of pollinators. Try to have something blooming all season long, and leave seedheads for winter foraging.
Water​
Pollinators are no different than humans. They need water too. Include a shallow birdbath or water feature in your yard to supply year-round refreshment. Small insects can drown in deep water, so include rocks for perching. As an added bonus, bare patches of mud (if you have it!) collects butterflies who visit to lick the salty minerals and mason bees who use it to build their nests.
Shelter​
Trees and shrubs provide cover for all sorts of creatures, while long grass, fallen leaves, old stems, bare patches of soil and host plants (like milkweed) provide year-round nesting sites for our smaller pollinators. Keep a "messy" yard by saving stems, leaving leaves and delaying spring cleanup until early June to allow overwintering pollinators like bumble bee queens to emerge.
You can provide habitat in your own yard by eliminating pesticides from your maintenance routine, and replacing non-native plants and/or unneeded turf grass with native plants.
A little goes a long way. Research shows that even small patches of native plants are beneficial to native pollinators, especially in urban environments. Connect these smaller patches to make contiguous pathways for an even larger effect.
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Not sure where to start? Check out some of these resources to learn more.
What are we doing to help?
Native Demonstration Gardens
Our one-acre landscape at Worthy Brewing showcases many Central Oregon native plants, and is open to the public 24/7. Come in June for a showy explosion of penstemons, buckwheats, phacelia, globemallow and more. We manage weeds by hand-pulling and shallow cultivation, and never use pesticides outside the farm.
Organic Food Growing
We focus on healthy soils, crop rotation and attracting natural predators to take care of our pest issues. Chemicals are a last resort, and we use only OMRI-listed products if we need to knock down a particularly gnarly infestation. Pollinator strips inside the farm support healthy populations of birds, bees, butterflies, moths and predatory beetles and flies.
Pollinator Education
We host various walks, talks and workshops on identifying and caring for native plants and pollinators during the warmer months. Check out Upcoming Events to see what's on the docket. Our school and summer camp field trips expose kids to pollinator life cycles, where we get to search around the garden for all sorts of creepy, crawly, beautiful insects.
Native Wildflower Seed
We hand collect, clean, package and sell seeds from our own garden at the Worthy Pub (495 NE Bellevue Dr, Bend). Available varieties include yarrow, milkweed, blanketflower, goldenrod, aster, blue flax, globe mallow, Rocky Man bee plant, a variety of penstemons and more. The best selection is available in October, just in time for fall or winter sowing. New this year: seed bombs in fun combinations like aster and goldenrod.
Resource Creation
Worthy Garden Club creates many of its own resources on gardening for native pollinators, and you can find them here, along with some of the best other local resources we've stumbled upon. We enjoy bringing beginners into the fold, so most of our publications are written for amateur gardeners looking to learn more about growing edible and native plants in the High Desert.
Community Projects
We partner with various other local organizations to increase our reach in the community, organizing large-scale weeding parties, pollinator garden plantings at schools and parks, classroom pollinator presentations, native plant giveaways and sharable resources like our free seed library at Franklin's Corner Community Garden. Contact lisa@worthygardenclub.org if you have a project you think we can help with!