The Adirondack Pollinator Project (APP) is a new initiative of AdkAction in partnership with The Wild Center, The Lake Placid Land Conservancy, and Common Ground Gardens, that features an extensive program of educational activities and events throughout the summer. The program will kick off at area farmers’ markets and The Wild Center during National Pollinator Week, June 19-25th.

Film showings, hands-on beekeeping, gardening and citizen science workshops, and free public lectures by pollinator researchers are planned throughout the Adirondacks to help inspire individual and collective action to help pollinators thrive. Highlights of the programming are two free public lectures from Dr. Christina Grozinger, Director of the Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State University, at The Wild Center on July 19th and at View Arts in Old Forge on July 20th.

Pollinators need diverse pollen and nectar sources, so the Adirondack Pollinator Project is distributing 30,000 free seed packets to help the Adirondacks bloom with hope for our pollinators. The seeds are a mix of annual and perennial wildflowers that are appropriate for the region, including many Adirondack natives. Seeds will be distributed throughout the Park along with a colorful brochure explaining the importance of pollinators for biodiversity and food security.

Pollinators help produce approximately 1/3 of the food we eat. In New York State alone, bees and other pollinators provide some $350 million in pollination services each year. These sentinel creatures are in trouble across the globe.

Homeowners can play an important role by providing diverse floral habitat by converting part of their lawn to a pollinator gardens or no-mow zones, adding nesting habitat, and avoiding plants treated with neonicotinoids. Adirondack residents can also help by buying local and organic foods (or growing their own at Common Ground Gardens) and engaging in citizen science with the help of Lake Placid Land Conservancy. These efforts will help more than just pollinators. They help communities combat climate change and boost the local economy.

A full schedule of events is available here. Note that some workshops and events require an RSVP and there may be an additional charge.

Photos from above: Monarch Butterfly; and Bumblebees, provided.