National Pollinator Garden Network Closing In on Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Goal

The National Pollinator Garden Network is convening on Oct 16th in Alexandria, VA to announce progress on the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge, a campaign started in 2015 and designed to accelerate growing efforts across the nation to reverse the decline of pollinator species, such as honey bees, native bees and monarch butterflies, by calling on all Americans to get involved.

Two years of work have led to the creation of over 600,000 pollinator gardens across the country. Now, national, regional, conservation, and gardening groups are meeting to shed light on their accomplishments and to plan for the future to ensure pollinators thrive in a rapidly changing world. Speakers from the co-founders of the network will be presenting recent findings regarding planting impacts on pollinators, showcase gardens, and other notable achievements, and will also be available for interviews. Inspirational youth Pollinator Ambassador, 9-year-old Kedar Narayan will share a new pollinator planting app he created in partnership with Penn State Extension and local mentors.

WHAT:
Third annual National Pollinator Garden Network conference

WHERE:
Historic River Farm, National Headquarters of the American Horticultural Society, 7931 East Boulevard Dr, Alexandria VA, 22308

WHEN:
Monday, Oct 16th from 10am – 1:30pm

SPEAKERS:

Holly H. Shimizu, Interim Executive Director, American Horticultural Society
Collin O’Mara, CEO, National Wildlife Federation
Val Dolcini, CEO, The Pollinator Partnership
Dave Whitinger, CEO, The National Gardening Association
Casey Sclar, Executive Director, American Public Gardens Association
Seth Reed, CEO and Co-founder, GrowIt!

The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge has been launched by The National Pollinator Garden Network, an unprecedented collaboration of national, regional, conservation, and gardening groups to address the critical decline of pollinators by asking all Americans to plant for pollinators.