Outdoor News Bulletin
Nationwide Effort to Protect Pollinators Gains Momentum
Pollinators, including bees, bats, butterflies, and birds, are vital to U.S. ecosystems and food security. These species transfer pollen from a flower’s stamen to its pistil, enabling fertilization and the production of fruits and seeds for plants that cannot self-pollinate. They support biodiversity and enhance crop yields, significantly contributing to the productivity of working lands and the economy.
However, many pollinator species are at risk. The Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis), found in the Eastern and Midwestern U.S., is listed as Endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus), a migratory species across North America, is a candidate for endangered or threatened status. The Mexican Long-Tongued Bat (Choeronycteris mexicana), which ranges from the southwestern U.S. to Central America, is classified as Near Threatened per the IUCN. In Hawaii, the ʻIʻiwi (Drepanis coccinea) is classified as Threatened. The Puerto Rican Harlequin Butterfly (Atlantea tulita), endemic to Puerto Rico’s northern and west-central regions, is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, with critical habitat designated across 41,266 acres. These are just a few examples—many more exist across the nation.
Pollinator declines are driven by multiple factors. Habitat loss due to agriculture and urban development reduces areas for foraging, nesting, and reproduction. Non-native plants interfere with pollination by competing with native species. Misuse of pesticides, when products are applied beyond label instructions, harms pollinators through direct contact or environmental exposure. Changes in local weather disrupt the timing of flowering and pollinator activity, hindering successful pollination. For the Puerto Rican Harlequin Butterfly, additional threats include human-induced fires and small population sizes, which exacerbate its vulnerability.
The Conservation Without Conflict coalition promotes a successful approach to pollinator conservation by keeping working lands—such as farms, ranches, and forests—productive while managing habitats for fish, wildlife, and hundreds of pollinator species. This strategy integrates conservation into agricultural practices, creating pollinator-friendly habitats within working landscapes. By promoting natural ecosystem processes such as prescribed fires, planting native wildflowers along field edges, reducing pesticide use, and maintaining natural areas, landowners support species like the Monarch Butterfly and Rusty Patched Bumble Bee without sacrificing productivity, fostering a balance that benefits both nature and agriculture.
This coalition’s success lies in its collaborative model, engaging farmers, ranchers, and conservation professionals to protect pollinators across the U.S.
Through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, the Conservation Without Conflict coalition members have developed innovative tools to provide regulatory assurances to private landowners, incentivizing the restoration and management of pollinator habitats on working lands. These tools, such as streamlined agreements and safe harbor-like protections, reduce regulatory concerns for landowners while encouraging practices like planting native milkweed for Monarchs or Prickly Bush for Puerto Rican Harlequin Butterflies. This approach fosters voluntary conservation, ensuring at-risk and listed pollinators thrive across the U.S. without disrupting working lands operations.
This coalition’s success lies in its collaborative model, engaging farmers, ranchers, and conservation professionals to protect pollinators across the U.S. For example, in the Midwest landowners incorporate milkweed into crop rotations to aid Monarchs, while in Puerto Rico, landowners plant native species like Prickly Bush to support the Harlequin Butterfly. These efforts demonstrate working lands serve as vital sanctuaries for pollinators, ensuring sustainable food and fiber production and resilient ecosystems through practical, conflict-free conservation.
To further these efforts, experts urge planting native, pollinator-friendly plants, and the use of prescribed fires where appropriate. The Xerces Society’s Pollinator-Friendly Native Plant Lists recommend species like Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Bee Balm (Monarda sp.) for nationwide use, alongside regional plants like Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) for California’s Southern Coast, Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) for the Southern Plains, and Prickly Bush (Oplonia spinosa) in Puerto Rico to support the Harlequin Butterfly.
Conservation entities urge public involvement. Local nurseries provide region-specific seeds and plants to support bees, butterflies, bats, and birds. Collaborative efforts, including habitat restoration and reduced pesticide use, seek to restore pollinator populations, sustain and support ecosystems, and keep working lands productive.
