Pollinator and Wildlife Habitat

To many, pollinator habitat is viewed as only wildflowers growing in open fields or landscape beds. However, this also includes flowering trees and shrubs, diversified orchards, windrows, woodland edges, and other situations where flowering herbaceous and woody plants grow. Whereas ‘pollinators’ includes more than just insect, wildlife also includes more than just game species and songbirds. The terms wildlife and pollinators go hand in hand and account for the great diversity of vertebrate and invertebrate animals we share space with. Whether your interest is environmental, ornamental, or economic, quality habitat provides multiple benefits in all cases. These benefits can be realized whether your goals are improving habitat diversity, diversifying hunting lands, reducing maintenance costs on ornamental grounds, or increasing resources for bees on crop lands.

We help others integrate pollinator and wildlife habitat into farming operations and natural areas. Ask yourself if these questions sound familiar.

  • Can pollinator habitat improve my farming operation?
  • Can managing for small game also help pollinators?
  • Am I planning proper site prep and long-term maintenance?
  • Is pollinator habitat even appropriate for my situation?
  • Do trees and shrubs matter for bees?
  • Can I have quality habitat without herbicides?
  • If I remove invasive plants, won’t I remove songbird habitat?

What are we working on right now?

  • Creating downloadable resources such as:
    • Native pollinator trees
    • Site prep and installation guidelines
    • Invasive plant management in established habitat
    • How to integrate pollinator habitat into different land use situations
    • Improving woodland wildflower habitat
    • Managing habitat for songbirds
  • Developing training workshops
    • Understanding pollinator plants and their pollinators
    • How to install pollinator habitat in fields and landscapes
  • Planning demonstration areas for future training events and public accessibility
  • Developing research proposals to better understand pollinator habitat use on small farms