[getsmart-l] Pollinator Observers needed everywhere

[Gloria Boxen]

http://www.pollinationcanada.ca/

 Pollinators need your help. Be a Pollinator Observer!  The Pollination Canada program, a new “citizen science” program, allows the Canadian public to participate in a nationwide survey of pollinators. It's easy to help, and observations recorded will assist scientists to understand these beneficial insects better. 

 The heart of the program is actual monitoring of insect populations and diversity. By observing pollinators in gardens, local parks, along country roads, basically anywhere flowers are growing, and then sending in these observations, Pollination Canada participants help scientists to better understand the crucial relationships between pollinators, ecosystems, plant diversity, and human activity. 

 This information is needed now, so that steps can be taken to preserve pollinator populations. 

Pollinators are the insects that pollinate flowers. You know about bees and butterflies, but did you know that there are over 1000 species of pollinating insects in Canada? Together they are an indispensable natural resource, and their daily work is essential for over a billion dollars of apples, pears, cucumbers, melons, berries, and many other kinds of Canadian farm produce. 

 A Monarch butterfly visits a thistle flower.





 These beneficial insects are under pressure from loss of habitat, loss of food sources, disease, and pesticides. As insect populations are threatened, so are the fruit and vegetable produce, and the wild ecosystems that depend on these pollinators. 






BE A POLLINATOR OBSERVER
It's easy to be a Pollinator Observer.
By observing pollinators ...basically anywhere flowers are growing, and then sending in your observations, ... steps can be taken to protect them.
In order for you to contribute useful observations, it is essential to follow the instructions described in the Observer's Manual. Pollinators can only be monitored successfully if all participants record their observations systematically and consistently. To be useful to ecologists, the information must contain the following:
·         environmental setting description
·         date
·         location coordinates 
·         site and habitat descriptions
·         flowers visited 
·         weather conditions
We’ve provided you with standardized field sheets to ensure that all of these supporting records are collected and are consistent with other observers. 
The basic premise in designing this monitoring program is non-destructive sampling. You are asked to record the diversity of the insect types you see without taking samples (killing pollinators) and without necessarily achieving precise identification of any one species.
The recording procedure should not, however, detract from the satisfaction and enjoyment of observing pollinators as they function in their natural setting. So get out there, and help ensure the future of pollinator insects!
 
Download Your Observer's Kit Now!
http://www.pollinationcanada.ca/index.php?n=pc_observers_kit
  
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