 Following the European Pollinator Week ( June , 3-5), the US and many others across the globe are celebrating Pollinator Week on June 17-23, 2013.
Established in 2007, Pollinator Week has grown exponentially in scope each year, drawing the support and endorsement of governors, mayors and other respected elected officials across the United States. 2013 Pollinator Week Proclamations signed by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and U.S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell helped kick off the celebration.
Pollinators are birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, small mammals, and most importantly, bees. They are responsible for pollinating nearly one-third of every bite of food we eat and the global value of crops pollinated by bees is estimated to be nearly $217 billion. These invaluable creatures are facing troubling declines in the U.S. Some species have seen a 90% decline in their populations over the last decade. Pollinator Week efforts are working to reverse and prevent declines. Laurie Davies Adams, Executive Director of the Pollinator Partnership (P2) said, “We applaud and support everyone participating in Pollinator Week 2013. Their efforts, big and small, make positive changes happen for pollinators, the environment, our food supply and our ecosystems.”
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