By Kelly A. Shue
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
As a certified wildlife habitat by the Wildlife Habitat Council, Riderwood continually looks for informative ways to engage the community on issues regarding wildlife and environmental awareness.
Recently, this ecofriendly community recognized National Pollinator Week with a special presentation titled “Plants, People, and Pollinators,” presented by Thelma Redick, the Wildlife Habitat Council’s education and outreach program manager.
Last fall, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the recognition of the first-ever National Pollinator Week as a way to note the importance of pollination—the way in which pollen is moved within a flower or carried from one flower to another leading to fertilization—to a healthy ecosystem.
Opportunity for understanding
According to the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), “The work of pollinators ensures full harvests of many agricultural crops and contributes to healthy plants everywhere.”
“Forums like this one help organizations like the Wildlife Habitat Council get their message about pollinators out internationally,” says Riderwood resident Anne Blackburn, co-chair of Riderwood’s Habitat Management Project Steering Committee. “They also help educate Riderwood residents and staff about the importance of pollinators to the ecosystem health.”
Powerful facts and figures
According to the NAPPC, “Of the estimated 1,330 crop plants grown worldwide for food, beverages, fibers, condiments, spices, and medicines, approximately 1,000 (75%) are pollinated by animals and an estimated third of all foods and beverages is delivered by pollinators.”