In 2007, the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation and the Greenbelt Native Plant Center began the Great Pollinator Project (GPP) in collaboration with the Great Sunflower Project in San Francisco, CA. The goals of the GPP are: 1) identify which areas of New York City have good pollinator service (as determined by how quickly bees show up to pollinate flowers at various locations throughout the city); 2) increase understanding of bee distribution; 3) raise public awareness of native bees; and 4) improve park management and home gardening practices to benefit native bees. If you are interested in our local pollinators, we need your help!
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the New York City Environmental Fund for partially funding this project. Many thanks, also, to our wonderful bee watcher volunteers; Gretchen LeBuhn (Great Sunflower Project); John Ascher (AMNH); Jim Cane (USDA-ARS); Sam Droege (USGS); Ed Green (Rutgers University); staff of the Greenbelt Native Plant Center; and to the parks and nature centers for hosting the annual orientation sessions (Alley Pond Environmental Center, Central Park Conservancy, Greenbelt Nature Center, Prospect Park Audubon Center, and Bronx Borough Parks Headquarters).
Elizabeth Johnson , Kevin Matteson, and Edward Toth created the content and design of the website. Ruth Lowell is the web programmer. Peter Ersts developed the online data entry.
Questions? Interested in participating? Contact us at beewatchers@gmail.com