It’s a brand new year, I’m guessing you are buzzing with excitement to make your city or campus community a haven for pollinators. You are laying the groundwork to create new habitat, incorporate pollinator-conscious practices into community plans, and engage your community in the wonderful world of pollinators.
As a land manager, community leader, or pollinator advocate, you know that how we manage our landscapes is just as important as the plants we put in the ground. This is why Bee City and Bee Campus affiliates commit to reducing their pesticide use by adopting a pollinator-friendly Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan.
We know that IPM programs are dynamic: they evolve over time as communities rise to new pest management challenges and opportunities. No matter where you are in the IPM journey – from creating a formal IPM plan for the first time to revisiting an established program – we are here to help.
That’s why getting IPM support from our experts at the Xerces Society is now easier than ever! Got IPM questions? You can now book time to meet with me, Jacqueline Buenrostro, Xerces Society Pesticide Program Specialist, for a 1-on-1 video call. During these “IPM Office Hours”, we’ll address your topics of interest and recommend resources for further exploration. Topics of discussion could include:
- Getting started with developing an IPM plan
- Requesting a review of an existing IPM program through the lens of pollinator protection
- Best practices for creating a monitoring program
- Creating a tiered management system to reflect diverse landscape types and management goals
- Non-chemical prevention and management strategies
- Strategies for reducing pesticide use and risks
Responding to invasive species in an IPM framework - Developing a community-wide mosquito management program that minimizes pesticide use
- Guidance for engaging other land managers in your community in the IPM framework
- Local policy options for protecting pollinators
- And more!
Whether you are a current Bee City or Bee Campus affiliate, or an interested community looking to step-up your pollinator protection through IPM, I can’t wait to connect with you!
Book your spot in IPM Office Hours!
Author
Jacqueline Buenrostro
Pesticide Program Specialist, Urban Policy Lead
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Jacqueline works with Xerces partners and community leaders to reduce pesticide use in towns, cities, and campuses through strategic outreach and policy action. Prior to joining the Xerces Society, Jacqueline worked with local governments in Colorado and Florida to enhance their integrated pest and pollinator management, promote biological control, and reduce reliance on pesticides. Her greatest passion is working directly with community members and decision makers to protect the invertebrate life that sustains us.
Jacqueline holds a Master of Science in entomology from Colorado State University. When she is not advocating for invertebrates, you can find her hiking through the forest or recreating nature’s beauty in stained glass.
Header photo credit: Amanda Lucier
