Pollinator Week 2017

  Pollinator Week 2017 (June 19-25), marked the tenth consecutive year of uniting the nation around the critically important issue of pollinator conservation. Pollinator Partnership (P2), which created and has administered Pollinator Week since its inception, secured proclamations in support of the observance from ALL 50 state governors (and many mayors), as well as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.    Additionally, more than 200 events, a PW record, across North America were organized and registered through P2’s Pollinator Week webpage. Cities across North America celebrated Pollinator Week through numerous local events, including in New York City, where the dating app Bumble erected a pop-up hive as a gathering place for their users. On June 22, with a flip of the switch from beekeeper and Shark Tank star, Daymond John, the Empire State Building lit its cupula in yellow and black to represent the nearly 4000 bees found in the United States. It was a great collaboration between P2 and the National Wildlife Federation. The CN Tower in Toronto and Niagara Falls were also illuminated to show support for pollinators. In Washington, D.C., a Congressional briefing was held by the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus, and a reception sponsored by the American Society of Landscape Architects and Pollinator Partnership engaged policy makers in the Capitol. In other exciting Pollinator Week news, Pollinator Partnership is joining forces with the iconic Debbie Harry and Blondie, who have launched their own Bee Connected campaign to save pollinators, following the recent release of their aptly titled Pollinator album. These Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers have shaped, and continue to influence, the worlds of music, fashion and art. To find out about this year’s events by state and to get ideas for next year visit http://www. pollinator.org/pollinatorweek!