Pollinator Conservation Handbook: A Guide to Understanding, Protecting, and Providing Habitat for Native Pollinator Insects

Whenever I present classes or workshops on Pollinator Stewardship I give out several handouts including a resource list included on which are a dozen or so books; but I always tell the group that if they could have just one book, Pollinator Conservation Handbook is the ONE. Very comprehensive and comprehensible - qualities not always found in one volume. Our state Arboretum just added it to their library. The small book is packed with interesting and useful info; you'll be able to put it all to good use whether you are simply creating life-saving habitat in your own backyard or attempting loftier goals like getting local governments, developers, busineses to do the same.

If you're not sure, want to attract more, are a home gardener, restorationist, or simply care about nature you will want to read this book. It is the first of its kind: a simple, well-written and comprehensive handbook all about pollinators. Not just butterflies and bees, but some flies, moths, beetles and others that you may not have considered.Did you know that pollinators are responsible for two-thirds of the food in the US; that the activity of ground nesting bees improves soil texture, water and nutrient movement; the larval stage of beetles create tunnels in trees where bees can nest; we have approximately 4500 native bees - most of which do not sting?? Do you also know what some of the threats are to both our common, and not-so-common 6-legged friends? They include: habitat loss, degradation & fragmentation, agriculture, pesticides and invasive species. Would you like to know what you, as an individual can do to help such as how to build your own bee nest blocks and other ways of offering up your property to more of these creatures? The extensive appendices include nectar and host plant lists, educator & family resources and a wealth of information for further reading and relevant organizations.This is not only a very readable book but also a reference that no gardener or other nature lover should be without. It is written by the experienced and dedicated staff of the Xerces Society, based in Portland Oregon, which is "an international non-profit organization dedicated to protecting biological diversity through invertebrate conservation." Many of the photos are unrivaled!If you are interested in some other excellent reading regarding many of our often-overlooked pollinators, be sure to read "The Forgotten Pollinators" by Stephen Buchmann & Gary Nabhan. Enjoy!

Despite the significance of the subject matter, there are few widely available publications dedicted to pollinator conservation. Fortunately, staff from America's leading invertebrate conservation organization have filled the void with this wonderful book. The handbook is comprehensive in coverage; from its introduction to pollination and pollinators, the threats these insects face, and the actions that can conserve them. These aspects are all covered quite well in a very readable manner, which is not an insignificant fact, because the book is applicable to such a wide audience, from the land managers of National Parks to backyard gardeners. The color photos illustrations are not only splendid close-ups of insects and flowers, but images of the places that pollinators live, everyday sights that readers will recognize, and thus realize the ample opportunities there are for all of us to conserve these insects and the benefits they bestow upon us. Few individuals have the opportunity to be in distant lands furthering the conservation of whales and tigers, but with this very reasonably priced handbook, everyone can in their own way participate and enjoy maintaining the equally, dare I say even more important, richness and health of the special place where they live.