Gain expert knowledge, practical tips, and community connections at the inaugural Ecological Gardening Summit, hosted by Joe Lamp'l. This online event will feature talks from entomologist Dr. Doug Tallamy of the University of Delaware, pollinator conservation biologist Emily May of the Xerces Society, ecological horticulturist Rebecca McMackin, former director of horticulture for Brooklyn Bridge Park, and Garden for Wildlife manager Mary Phillips of the National Wildlife Federation. Emily May will discuss Pesticides, Pollinators, and the Garden Ecosystem, including some of the key pesticide concerns you might face in your garden and actionable steps to make your garden more resilient to pest pressure. The event will run from 12:00 to 4:30 PM Eastern. There is a fee to register.

This event is hosted by Joe Lamp'l, The Joe Gardener Show and Growing a Greener World. Event coordinated by Amy Prentice, [email protected].

Learn more and register today!


Emily May - Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Agricultural Lead - Xerces Society
Emily May is a Pollinator Conservation Specialist with the Xerces Society's Pesticide Program. She received a master's of science in entomology from Michigan State University, and has studied pollinator habitat restoration, bee nesting habits, and the effects of pest management practices on wild bee communities. Her work with Xerces since 2015 has focused on supporting crop pollinators through habitat creation and protecting bees and other beneficial insects from pesticides.

The Pacific Northwest Bumble Bee Atlas is a community science project that aims to track and conserve the native bumble bees of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

This two-hour workshop is intended for new participants as well as returning participants. We encourage existing volunteers to join us to learn about changes to our priorities and protocol in 2024.

During this event, we will provide clear guidance on how to participate in the Atlas and discuss priorities for the 2024 field season. The training will cover the project's progress, detail the process of planning and conducting surveys, submitting data, and walk through equipment that is needed to participate. At the end, we'll open it up for questions and discussion.

This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.

Learn more and register today!


Molly Martin - Endangered Species Conservation Biologist, Pacific Northwest - Xerces Society
Molly is a conservation biologist focused on the conservation of bumble bees, butterflies, and other invertebrate species in the Pacific Northwest. Molly's experience ranges from research, restoration, and conservation planning to outreach and education. Before joining the Endangered Species team, Molly ran Xerces' Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA programs. She earned her master's degree in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology from San Francisco State University, studying the impact of wildfire on plant-pollinator communities, and her bachelor's degree in biology and environmental studies from Whitman College. Molly is based in Portland, Oregon, where she enjoys gardening, making art, and exploring wild places by foot, bike, ski, and boat.


Rich Hatfield - Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist, Bumble Bee Conservation Lead - Xerces Society
Rich manages all aspects of the Xerces Society’s work on bumble bees. Rich has a master’s degree in conservation biology from San Francisco State University, and he joined the Xerces Society in 2012. While earning his degree, his thesis focused on local- and landscape-level factors that contribute to bumble bee species richness and abundance. He has also investigated native bee pollination in agricultural systems in the Central Valley of California and researched endangered butterflies in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, as well as throughout the Pacific Northwest. In addition to his skills as a research biologist, Rich also has extensive classroom teaching experience with a focus on conservation biology, ecology, and sustainability.

Join Xerces pollinator conservation biologist Emily May to learn more about the pollinators that come out to work as others turn in for the evening. Moths, flies, beetles, and other dusk and night-time pollinators can play important roles in pollinating wild and managed plants. Emily will talk about the ecology, diversity, and importance of these hidden pollinators, and how we can best support them in our gardens and communities.

This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.

Learn more and register today!
 

Emily May - Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Agricultural Lead - Xerces Society
Emily May is a Pollinator Conservation Specialist with the Xerces Society's Pesticide Program. She received a master's of science in entomology from Michigan State University, and has studied pollinator habitat restoration, bee nesting habits, and the effects of pest management practices on wild bee communities. Her work with Xerces since 2015 has focused on supporting crop pollinators through habitat creation and protecting bees and other beneficial insects from pesticides.

Many of us know the butterfly life cycle– egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, adult. But how does this life cycle work in the hot Mojave or Sonoran deserts? What are butterflies in isolated springs across the West eating as caterpillars? How do they survive the winter in the Cascade Mountains? And how are these butterflies responding to habitat loss, pesticide exposure, and the changing climate we all find ourselves in?

The western United States contains hundreds of butterfly species, found in habitats ranging from hot, arid deserts to the peaks of the High Sierras. While some of these butterflies are widespread and can (luckily) be found in gardens, parks and natural areas across the West, others are much more localized. All of these species have amazing strategies to survive and thrive in what can be some of the most hostile climates in the United States. And many of them are facing threats new and old to their populations and habitats. Join Kevin Burls, Endangered Species Conservation Biologist, as he starts with an overview of butterfly diversity in the West and then highlights some of the amazing strategies that have allowed them to colonize deserts, grasslands, and mountains. Kevin will also discuss the threats these butterflies face, and how we can all protect them and their habitats.

This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.

Learn more and register today!


Kevin Burls - Endangered Species Conservation Biologist - Xerces Society
As a conservation biologist for the endangered species program, Kevin’s efforts with the Xerces Society focus on protecting the hundreds of butterfly species that inhabit deserts, forests, and grasslands across the western United States. Many of these species are currently in decline or are threatened by habitat loss, insecticides, and the effects of climate change. Kevin’s work includes collaborating with land managers and scientists to understand the conservation needs of butterfly species, then advocating for their protection by crafting conservation guidelines and legislation with agencies and policy makers at the regional, state, and federal levels.

Before working with the Xerces Society, Kevin was the integrated pest management educator for the University of Nevada, Reno Extension program, with a focus on native pollinators and beneficial insects. In addition, Kevin and his wife co-founded the invertebrate science education nonprofit Nevada Bugs & Butterflies in Reno, Nevada in 2012. As a part of this work Kevin has spent several seasons searching for some of Nevada’s endemic and at-risk butterfly species in the mountains and deserts of the Great Basin. He holds a Ph.D. in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology from the University of Nevada, Reno. In his free time, you can find him hiking with his wife, son, and two dogs, or fixing the drip irrigation at his home in Washoe Valley, Nevada.