Educational Apiary/ Pollinator Garden

It is estimated that pollinators are needed for the reproduction of as much as 90 per cent of flowering plants and one third of human food crops. An essential population of pollinators can improve the size and quality of fruit and increase production per acre. In addition, pollinators play an important role in the biological diversity in natural ecosystems. Establishing habitats with perennial native plants also provides habitat for other forms of wildlife and water quality benefits by preventing erosion and sedimentation.

Agricultural areas are both the primary beneficiaries and the sanctuaries for pollinators. It is only in recent times that farmers and especially orchardists have needed to worry that sufficient pollination of their crops would be provided by nature. However, the numbers of both native pollinators and domesticated bee populations are declining. They are threatened by habitat loss, insufficient nutrition, and disease. Valuable research is being conducted working with commercial beekeepers. The efforts to understand the threats to commercial bees will also increase knowledge of other pollinators and their roles in the environment as well.

Some of the native plants may take up to two years to emerge and the first year will require mowing to reduce competition with grasses and weeds. This instructional pollinator garden is used for many workshops including beginner-intermediate beekeeping, Jr. Beekeeping, and Pollinator Workshops.