Pollinator Week Wrapped Up – Pollination Nation Summit Series

Published on July 7, 2020

That’s all folks!

Pollinator Week 2020 came and went, and it was a rousing success! Over 100 people participated in the Pollination Nation Summit Series. We’re so happy that you guys are as excited about saving the pollinators as we are. Here’s a reminder of everything we did over the past week and how you can take advantage of a special offer to get access to the Pollination Nation Summit Series videos.

What happened during the summit?

We kicked off the week by launching our Pollination Nation Summit Series. Pollination Nation is an online virtual summit for great minds to meet and discuss pollination! Brad James welcomed everyone with a warm message. He then interviewed Liz Meils, the State Apiarist for Wisconsin. They talked about beekeeping inspections and why helping the state track data about pests is better for all beekeepers.

We also got a fantastic blog from Monica about why young people are the key to saving pollinators (check it out here!).

We followed up with a conversation between Brad and Peter and Perry Kallas of Kallas Honey here in the Milwaukee area. There, we heard what they had to say about the changes they’ve seen in the honey business over the years.

Pollinator Nation then heard from our Editor-in-Chief Caitlin and the Curator of Zoology at the Milwaukee Public Museum, Dr. Jennifer Zaspel. We learned why all pollinators are important and at risk, and how insects (not just bees!) work together as a team to provide pollination for plants.

Caitlin also got to speak to Alyssa Hartson, a friend of Beepods and an educational consultant. They talked about how the leadership and responsibility students learn can provide them with invaluable tools for the future.

We also got to check in with Pete Stuart, the Master Gardener from Cultuvate. We heard about why gardening sustainably is important and why you shouldn’t let the traditional lawn keep you away from trying to save the pollinators.

What we learned

At the end of the day, the most valuable piece of advice from everyone we spoke to was that every person can take simple steps to save pollinators. 75% of plant species rely on pollinators to flower and reproduce. Taking care of pollinators keeps your table delicious and your garden beautiful!

If you didn’t have a chance to check in during Pollinator Week, don’t worry; these videos aren’t going anywhere!

You can still pay a one-time fee for unlimited access to all of these fantastic interviews. If you want to be a part of the solution and learn about saving pollinators (or just see some really great conversations about bees, plants, or insects), check out https://www.beepods.com/pollinator-week/.