Beyond agriculture, pollinators are keystone species in most terrestrial ecosystems. Fruits and seeds derived from insect pollination are a major part of the diet of approximately 25 percent of all birds, and of mammals ranging from red-backed voles to grizzly bears.

In many places, however, the essential service of pollination is at risk. Habitat loss, alteration, and fragmentation, as well as pesticide use, all contribute to pollinator declines.

In 1998, the Society for Conservation Biology commissioned a position paper with recommendations for conserving pollinators. The paper stressed the importance of increased education and training to ensure that the general public and resource managers—including farmers—understand the importance of pollinators and how to protect them. 

On October 18, 2006, the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences released the report: Status of Pollinators in North America, which called attention to the decline of pollinators. The NRC committee made several recommendations—many of which the Xerces Society is already implementing. The report urged non-profit organizations to collaborate with landowners to increase awareness of pollinators and to publicize activities that individuals can do to promote and sustain these important insects. The NRC report specifically cited the Xerces Society as an example of such a non-profit organization.