It's National Pollinator Week!

Honor pollinators by planting, learning, raising awareness, and promoting protection for them this third week of June

What is National Pollinator Week?

• An annual celebration aimed at raising awareness and support for pollinators and pollinator health.
• Initiated and managed by the Pollinator Partnership, and endorsed by the U.S. Senate in 2006.
• Highlights the essential contribution of the world's top pollinators: bees, butterflies, moths, bats, birds (especially hummingbirds), beetles, and other insects to ecosystems, agriculture, culture, and food security.
  

Important pollinator facts

• Pollinators are responsible for assisting more than 75% of the world’s flowering plants to reproduce and are critically important!
• One out of every three bites of food we eat as Americans, we owe to pollinators! Many crops, from apples to almonds, rely almost exclusively on pollinators to survive and thrive.
• Don’t like apples or almonds? What about blueberries, squash, watermelon, strawberries, peaches, or peppers? All of these fruits and vegetables greatly benefit from bee pollination.
• Poor pollination is one potential cause of misshapen fruit. Not only do pollinators help provide us with nutrition, but they also contribute to how ripe and beautiful the presentation is!
• Next time you stop to smell the flowers near you, thank a local pollinator! Did you know that most pollinators feed on specific plant species native to where they live? 
• Pollinators have declined worldwide due to habitat loss and other factors, so it’s more important than ever to appreciate them and help improve the places they call home. 

This Year’s Theme: “Pollinators Weave Connections”

• Emphasizes the ties between pollinators and human culture, food systems, and ecosystem health.
• Encourages reflection on habitat impact, sustainable choices, and collective conservation action.

Why These Dates?

• It’s observed the third week of June, aligning with a period of peak pollinator activity across North America.
  

Why It Matters

• Pollinators are vital for at least one in three bites of the food we eat
• Globally, around 40% of pollinator species, particularly bees and butterflies, face serious declines - see important facts above
  
• Their decline threatens:
  • Crop yields and food diversity
  • Biodiversity (80% of flowering plants rely on animal pollination)
  • Human health and livelihoods 
    

Activities & How to Celebrate

• Schedule time this week in your own yard for planting plants that are great for pollinators, including:
  

• Webinars and virtual events, such as the “Pollinator Power Party.” 
  
• Check out this amazing site with lots of good ideas for celebrating our pollinator friends:  Project Learning Tree
  
• Official toolkit available for ideas, materials, and educational templates
• Host or join garden tours, workshops, and online pollinator identification (e.g., bees & butterflies) including these in Douglas County: 

Visit Parker Library's Plants and Pollinators Exhibit (especially wonderful for children but a great learning experience for all)

Free Guided Bird & Pollinator Walk
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 8:30 am
Location: Tagawa Gardens, 7711 S Parker Rd, Centennial, CO 80016
Description: Enjoy a peaceful morning nature walk led by local expert Kate Hogan to discover seasonal birds and pollinators. Registration is required.

Meet Your Backyard Pollinators
Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
Time: 10:30 am
Location: Tagawa Gardens, 7711 S Parker Rd, Centennial, CO 80016
Description: Learn about the diversity of Colorado's pollinators, including butterflies, native bees, hummingbirds, and honey bees, and the role of wildflowers in supporting them.

Pollinator Week Movie Night
Date: Monday, June 16, 2025
Location: Douglas County Public Library Minden Branch
Description: Celebrate National Pollinator Week by attending a screening of the PBS pollinator-themed movie "My Garden of a Thousand Bees. 

How You Can Help

1. Create habitats for pollinators: provide shelter, water, and nesting sites
2. Avoid pesticides especially during flowering seasons
3. Support beekeepers & local honey
4. Join or host events
5. Invite educational tours or workshops
6. Share online: use hashtags like #PollinatorWeek or #NationalPollinatorWeek

Background & Partners

• Pollinator Partnership is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, championing pollinator conservation through education, research, and policy
• Co-hosts initiatives like the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) and regional planting guide.

Tips for a Great Pollinator Garden

• - Use native plants: they’re better adapted to local pollinators.
  
  
• - Stagger bloom times to ensure flowers from early spring to late fall.
  
  
• Avoid pesticides, especially during bloom times.
  
  
• Provide habitat: leave some bare soil, add bee houses, and water sources.
  
  
• Plant in clumps: masses of the same flower type are easier for pollinators to spot.