For nearly 30 years, Pollinator Partnership has been working to promote the health of the pollinators, who are critical to both ecosystems and food production. 

Through the organization’s conservation, educational, and research initiatives the group has forged a strong, and continuously growing, network of advocates across an array of borders. From school gardens to large scale farming operations, from a grassroots group to influencing policy at the national level, Pollinator Partnership has proven that persistent action can lead to big changes. 

While small, consistent actions are what the organization prescribes to people looking for a way to make a difference in pollinator and environmental health in their own communities, Pollinator Partnership also arms them with the resources to do so.

Their robust offering of resources, programs, and consulting services (available at pollinator.org) helps to guide the action that so many want to take, though they may have trepidations about where to begin.  

In a recent interview, Kinute caught up with Pollinator Partnership to discuss the plethora of pollinators that exist beyond bees, what simple actions people can take in their own backyards to help foster healthy habitat, and this year’s upcoming Pollinator Week.

Swallowtail caterpillar on spicebush. (Photo by Sara Wittenberg)

Honeybees and monarchs are among the pollinators that Pollinator Partnership (P2) cites that they’re working to protect. Are there other pollinators that your work specifically targets?

Pollinator Partnership is proud to support all pollinator species throughout our widespread programs. In addition to popular and charismatic species like honey bees and monarch butterflies, Pollinator Partnership aims to promote the health of native bees, flies, moths, birds, and bats that are also critical to our food and ecosystems. For example, our large-scale habitat program called “Project Wingspan” aims to enhance rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) habitat in the Midwest. This bumble bee species is currently listed as “Endangered” under the Endangered Species Act.

Project Wingspan: Golden State has just launched in California! Making it the first iteration of this program to make it to the West coast. We encourage folks that are interested in becoming a seed collection volunteer to learn more and sign up at: www.pollinator.org/project-wingspan-golden-state

Our resources reflect the diversity of species we aim to protect. Pollinator Partnership has co-authored several books and guides on bees: our popular Bee Basics book, Bumble Bees of the Eastern United States and Bumble Bees of the Western United States covers the hidden world of North America's native bees with full color illustrations and photos. Also check out our bat brochure, hummingbird guides, and Lovely Lepidoptera one-pager to explore how we support pollinators beyond honey bees and monarch butterflies.

A World of Pollinators. (Courtesy of Pollinator Partnership)

Do you do any work to help bolster native bee populations?

We work to enhance native bee populations through several key initiatives:

Bee Friendly Farming is our agricultural certification program that verifies small to large scale farm operations that have practices in place to protect pollinators, including native bees. Certified growers implement pollinator foraging habitat, nesting sites, and practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce or eliminate unnecessary pesticides on their farm. Several native bee species are integral to food production: including orchard mason bees (Osmia), squash bees (Xenolossa), blueberry digger bees (Habropoda), along with the 3,500 other species of native bees that increase crop yield and quality.

Ecoregional Planting Guides are our signature publications dedicated to providing accessible and regionally appropriate plant lists known to promote native pollinator populations. Unlike honey bees, many native bee species are specialist pollinators, meaning they only collect pollen and nectar from the plants they coevolved with for millenia. We created the Ecoregional Planting Guides to encourage landowners, gardeners, farmers, natural resource managers, and anyone else interested in conserving pollinators to plant regionally native plants to support a diverse array of pollinator species.

2025 marks the second year we, in collaboration with other NGOs, have named a Pollinator of the Year. This year, we featured squash bees (Xenoglossa) as Pollinator of the Year to highlight the relationship between squash bees and Cucurbita (squash, pumpkin, zucchini) plants. This long-standing plant-pollinator relationship is deeply tied to human history in the Americas. Squash is one of the oldest domesticated crops in North America, cultivated for over 10,000 years. Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Aniyvwiya, developed the “Three Sisters” planting system, intercropping squash, corn, and beans to support ecological and nutritional resilience. In these ancestral systems, squash bees were vital to the success of squash harvests, making them part of a rich agroecological heritage.

Showy goldenrod abuzz with pollinator life. (Photo by Amber Barnes) 

How do native plants play a role in your advocacy and educational efforts?

We encourage our supporters and the rest of the public to plant the plants that both benefit local pollinators and their overall goals for their landscape. We advocate for selecting plants native to your region, which will provide the most benefit to pollinators and the environment. As long as you are careful to avoid invasive plants, interweaving some of your favorite non-native plants can still have a positive impact. Invasive plants should never be used in pollinator gardens and should be removed when possible. Pollinator Partnership advocates for the use of regionally native plants in habitat projects aiming to support pollinators both in our online resources and messaging. Our Find Your Roots tool is an incredibly useful tool that enables users to generate a curated native plant list known to attract pollinators based on plant attributes like flower color, plant type, height, bloom period, and sun and soil requirements. 

What can you tell us about Pollinator Week?

Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health that was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. It is a time to raise awareness for pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. The great thing about Pollinator Week is that you can celebrate and get involved any way you like! Popular events include planting for pollinators, hosting garden tours, participating in online bee and butterfly ID workshops, and so much more.

This year, we are focusing our attention on the inspiring theme "Pollinators Weave Connections," this year's event urges us to appreciate the essential role pollinators play in creating and expressing human culture, in all of its forms. These essential creatures, including bees, butterflies, moths, bats, beetles, and hummingbirds, are the unsung heroes behind the food we enjoy and the beauty that surrounds us.

Pollinator Week 2025 Poster. (Courtesy of Pollinator Partnership)

The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign is a cornerstone of P2’s work. With more than 170 diverse partners, how does this group collaborate to guide positive change for pollinators?

The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) is a flagship program of Pollinator Partnership’s work, bringing together more than 170 partners across sectors- including government agencies, scientists, conservationists, farmers, industry leaders, and nonprofits. This diverse coalition collaborates through our annual conferences, task forces, and coordinated initiatives that address the most pressing issues facing pollinators.

NAPPC partners co-create science-driven strategies, share best practices, and build cross-sector solutions that support pollinator health across North America. Our collaboration has led to key outcomes such as policy recommendations, habitat restoration efforts, public awareness campaigns, and the development of tools and guidelines for natural resource management. Together, we amplify each other’s work and guide meaningful, lasting change for pollinators, people, and the planet.

Carpenter bee on black-eyed susan at solar site. (Photo by Isabel Nazarian)

Bayer, the manufacturer of the most commercially prevalent herbicide Round Up, is listed among these partners. How does P2 navigate selecting and educating partners in order to stay true to their mission of promoting pollinator health?

Pollinator Partnership works with diverse stakeholders representing various perspectives with the goal of creating positive change for pollinators. For nearly three decades, we have worked with farmers, gardeners, land managers, scientists, and industry to develop tools and programs that help keep pollinators safe from pesticides, habitat loss, climate change, and other threats.

We feel working with a diverse set of partners is very important and ensures everyone is at the table to help make change in the right direction. Pollinator Partnership has a very strict Giving Policy that details how we will never allow any gift to influence our mission. Our work is guided by the best available science and what offers the greatest benefit to pollinator populations across the continent.

Orange-legged drone fly. (Photo by Anthony Colangelo)

Conventional agriculture is a sector that is notorious for herbicide & pesticide use. Can you talk about some success stories that P2 has realized with your Bee Friendly Farming program?

Misuse and overuse of pesticides contribute to the decline of many pollinator species, and we recognize that we have a real chance to make a positive impact through our agricultural programs. Bee Friendly Farming is another one of Pollinator Partnership’s flagship programs where we work with farmers to integrate pollinator-friendly practices into agriculture. By partnering with farmers and ranchers, we focus on habitat enhancement and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). We aim to reduce the need for chemical pesticides which can be harmful to pollinators, while helping farmers meet their production and economic goals. Instituting Best Management Practices for pest assessment, monitoring, and pesticide application has proven to be very effective in supporting pollinators in agricultural landscapes. We have provided training, financial and technical assistance, and certification to over 1,000 farmers in North American and beyond benefitting hundreds of thousands of acres of land. When farmers install hedgerows or insectary strips, they are also providing food, nesting, and refuge for pollinators. This results in farmers seeing an increase in other beneficial insects that help combat unwanted pests.

A great example of this is from our Working for Wildlife series featuring Habitat Heroes Robert Frew and Juan Carlos Arango. At Sobremesa Farm in Ohio, farmers Robert Frew and Juan Carlos Arango have integrated hedgerows and diverse plantings into their 9-acre organic operation. These hedgerows not only support pollinators like bees and flies but also contribute to the farm's sustainability by enhancing biodiversity and providing habitat for beneficial insects. This integrated approach has led to a more resilient and productive farm ecosystem that benefits both the farm owners and pollinators. 

Monarch butterfly on ironweed. (Photo courtesy of Pollinator Partnership)

With pollinators facing threats from so many angles today, what gives P2 hope for bolstering the populations of these critical species?

At Pollinator Partnership, our hope is rooted in a simple but powerful truth: small actions can make a big difference. Whether it’s a backyard pollinator garden, a farmer planting hedgerows, or a city integrating native plants into green spaces, we’ve seen firsthand how localized efforts can ripple outward to create meaningful change for pollinators.

What truly amplifies that impact is collaboration. We’re fortunate to work alongside an incredible network of partners- other NGOs, government agencies, researchers, corporations, and community groups, who bring diverse expertise and shared commitment to the table. Together, we’re building a connected landscape of support for pollinators, from rural farmlands to urban corridors.

This collective momentum, fueled by science, education, and grassroots action, gives us real hope. Pollinator conservation isn’t about one big solution, it’s about millions of small, strategic steps taken together and that’s exactly what we’re seeing happen.

Orange-rumped bumble bee. (Photo by Anthony Colangelo)

What’s on the horizon that P2 is most excited about currently?

We are currently looking forward to the events and festivities surrounding National Pollinator Week (June 16-22, 2025). This year’s theme “Pollinators Weave Connection” is especially meaningful as it highlights not only the ecological importance of pollinators but also their cultural and symbolic roles in connecting communities, traditions, and landscapes across North America. We’re thrilled to unveil our 2025 Pollinator Poster, a centerpiece of the celebration, which beautifully illustrates the intricate relationships pollinators have with people, plants, and place. Designed to inspire wonder and action, the poster serves as a powerful educational tool and a visual reminder of the threads that pollinators weave through biodiversity, agriculture, and cultural heritage.

As I mentioned earlier, our Project Wingspan program is coming to the state of California for the very first time to enhance and restore monarch butterfly habitat. Project Wingspan: Golden State is a collaborative effort made possible through funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, partnerships with numerous land management organizations, and the dedication of hundreds of volunteers. We are excited to begin collecting seeds from native plants this Spring and to use those seeds to increase the quality, quantity, and connectivity of pollinator habitat in Northern California to support imperiled native pollinators and the vital habitat on which they depend.