THE POLLINATOR PROJECT

THE POLLINATOR PROJECT

A collaboration between Orange Environment, Inc. and the Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery.

Scientists are reporting dramatic declines in insect populations. Studies estimate loss in insect populations between 75-90% over the last 25 years.  Over the last few decades, the monarch butterfly population has declined over 90%.  We’ve destroyed and continue to destroy insect habitats and food sources.

The dramatic decline in the insect population can be summed up in one word… STARVATION! Insects feed on nectar and pollen from flowers, and host plants provide food for caterpillars. 

Humans have replaced nature filled with insect food and habitats with manicured lawns, buildings, developments, roads, landscapes, malls, sports fields, farms and more. Meadows, wetlands, and forests are fragmented or eliminated entirely.  Pesticides used by homeowners, farmers, golf courses, schools are more further contribute to the decline. 

While we all love our lawns, a manicured landscape has as much value to a pollinator as a parking lot. As a result, insect food sources have become scarce. Mowing, herbicides and other weed prevention efforts have eliminated milkweed and other native plants, and are a major contributor to the decline of the monarch butterfly.

No Milkweed = No Monarch Butterflies 

NOTHING LIVES WITHOUT POLLINATORS.

E.O. Wilson, the famous biologist and ecologist, makes the point that plants and insects are not optional.

Insects eat the plants and convert the plants’ sugar to protein. It is this transfer of energy from sunlight to plant and then to insect that the remainder of the food web depends on. 

No Insects = No Birds

Ninety-six percent of the bird species in North America depend on insects for food.  Bird populations are dramatically declining. Since 1970, the North American bird population has dropped nearly 30% or about 3 billion birds gone.

No Insects = Fewer Fish

Fish also depend on insects for protein and when insect populations crash, fish populations and size are affected. In freshwater streams, mayfly populations are a key part of a fish’s diet. Mayflies are referred to as the “canary in the coalmine” because they indicate the quality of the water and health of the ecosystem. 

No Insects = No Animals (including humans)

Insects, especially bees, pollinate 75% of our food crops. Without insects there would be no fruits or vegetables for us. There would be no flowering plants, no alfalfa for animal grazing, with subsequent declines in available proteins. 

CAN WE PREVENT MASS POLLINATOR EXTINCTION?

CAN WE SAVE THE MONARCH?

YES, TOGETHER WE CAN.

We can dedicate a portion of our private landscapes and lawns to native, pollinator-friendly plants, so that we can provide food and shelter for them.

The Hudson Valley Pollinator Project’s purpose is to: 

• Grow local native plants from seed. Native plants provide nutritious meals for insects facing dramatic decreases in population for lack of adequate food.  
• Develop and distribute beautiful native plant garden kits with plants that provide food and shelter for pollinators such as butterflies and bees. 
• Establish demonstration gardens at Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery and give away free milkweed plants to plant in your gardens. 
• Feed the insects and prevent starvation! 
• Each one of us can do our part to save the monarch and other pollinators. Our responsibility is simple – establish a variety of native plant gardens that serve as a safe environment for them to lay their eggs, provide food for caterpillars, and offer a selection of nectar flowers for adult monarchs and other pollinators. 
• While only a small portion of land is preserved as National and State Parks, the vast majority of land in the U.S.is privately owned. For instance, about 86% of land east of the Mississippi is in private ownership. 
• The key is that we must dedicate a portion of our private landscapes and lawns to pollinator-friendly plants. 
• Then it will be possible to reverse the decline of insects while also enriching the beauty of our yards and communities. And, if enough of us convert portions of our lawns to flowering native plants it would become what Doug Tallamy refers to as a “Home Grown National Park.” 
• Planting milkweed and other nectar-producing plants in our yards along the path of the monarch’s awe-inspiring journey from Mexico to Canada and back again will provide the food necessary for their continued survival. 
• Monarchs will alight – in our yards – on the milkweeds to lay their eggs, forage for nectar on a variety of flowers we plant for them, and build up strength for their remarkable journey. Your yard, and my yard, and all our yards together have the potential to save the monarch and one of the greatest migration stories on the planet. 

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