From wilderness areas to urban backyards, bees are always underfoot yet often unseen.
From wilderness areas to urban backyards, bees are always underfoot yet often unseen. With over 500 species, Oregon's bees play a crucial and often invisible role in the pollination of our native flora, and an even less appreciated role in the productivity of our home gardens and industrial farms. Despite their importance, relatively little is currently known about which species live here, where they live, and how they make their living. A lack of baseline data presents challenges for assessing the health of Oregon's bees, and a lack of public awareness inhibits successful intervention on behalf of declining species.
In this talk, August Jackson presents a vividly illustrated exploration of the diversity of Oregon's bee species, their varied life histories, and examples of their relationships with our native flora. Getting to know our native bees is the first step to seeing them everywhere you go, and to appreciate the vital role they play in our ecosystem.
Chandra LeGue, Oregon Wild's Western Oregon Field Coordinator, also talks about how past and current forest management - from salvage logging to aerial spraying - harms native pollinators, and how efforts to protect and restore Oregon's diverse forests and wildland habitat benefits them.
