WHERE ARE OUR POLLINTORS GOING?
Native pollinators are in trouble.
Bees, butterflies, birds, beetles, bats and moths perform the valuable work of moving pollen from one flower to another, producing one third of the food we eat as well as fertile seeds that help plants reproduce. Native pollinators, in particular, are integral to creating the genetic diversity that makes our native landscapes more resilient to pest and disease outbreaks and shifting weather patterns.
But they are facing various threats including pesticide poisoning, light pollution, invasive species, habitat loss and a changing climate.
Conservation works.
Creating and conserving pesticide-free habitat is a great way to support native pollinators. We've created a GUIDE TO SHOW YOU HOW, and it's easier than you think.
Our own landscape is an oasis of diverse, nectar- and pollen-rich gardens. While the FARM hosts a rotating buffet of sage, thyme, chives, calendula, tomatoes and more, our surrounding landscape is dedicated to high performing, dry climate plants that increase habitat for native pollinators and provide a uniquely Central Oregon experience focused on resource conservation and ecological health.
Landscaping with native plants saves time, money and water while also creating a sense of place in the high desert and valuable habitat for native flora and fauna.
Get involved!
Worthy Environmental participates in local restoration projects and academic research that encourages large-scale protection of these valuable creatures. We believe intensely in creating beautiful landscapes that reflect the scenery around us while also supporting the insects and animals that enrich our lives in so many ways.
Scroll down to see how you can get involved.
Pollinator Pathway Bend
Pollinator Pathway Bend is the first native pollinator habitat connectivity project in our region. The goal is to create a corridor of contiguous native pollinator gardens throughout our community using the adjacent lands of residents, businesses, parks and open spaces, leading to connected habitat within the range of most of our native pollinators.
We provide plants, seeds, muscle, expertise and education to various PPB projects around Bend and we're so excited to be a part of the movement. You can join too! PPB is always looking for volunteers to help weed, plant and steward our gardens.
Oregon Bee Project
Worthy Environmental is part of the Deschutes County collecting team, netting and identifying some of the 500+ native bee species in our state. Our specimens will one day become a part of the Oregon Bee Atlas - a manifestation of four years of native bee research launched by the Oregon State University in 2017 and the first concerted survey of native bees in the state's history. Through the dedicated work of volunteers and educators, the Oregon Bee Atlas will provide "important steps towards confronting the gulf in our knowledge about the bees of Oregon...[building] the first comprehensive account of the native bee fauna" in the state. With a baseline study in place, researchers will better be able to understand native population gains and losses in the years to come.
To read more about protecting our native pollinators and learn how to become a volunteer:
Worthy Honey Bee Hive
Honey bees are amazing creatures. Though not native to the U.S., they are integral to the future of our food web and endlessly fascinating in their social structure. Worthy Environmental's top bar hive, with a fold-down viewing window, provides valuable educational opportunities for visitors to the Worthy campus - young and old alike - and raises awareness about the plight of pollinators in this modern age. We manage our bees as naturally as we can, relying on robust gene pools to help combat common beekeeping troubles. And while we do score some honey from our hive, its main purpose is to educate visitors on the fascinating intricacies of honey bee life and what we can do to improve it.
School programs are available. Email lisa@worthyenvironmental.org for more information.
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Pollinator Garden
Approached by the Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2018 to sponsor a pollinator garden at the refuge headquarters, of course we said yes! Harney Basin is an oasis of diverse habitat in southeastern Oregon with 300 acres of big sky views and plentiful wildlife. Not only did we fund the project, we helped build and plant.
The garden hosts several native pollinator plants including Oregon sunshine, Munro's globemallow and Douglas aster. You can find it just outside the Crane's Nest Nature Center, at the edge of Marshall Pond. It was completed in 2019, and we like to visit seasonally to help with garden upkeep - and take a dip in the local hot springs.