-
Image
MU Extension offers a five-week Master Pollinator Steward program that begins May 5. The program teaches ways to promote pollinators to improve the environment and food supply. Photo by Tamra Reall.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will offer a Master Pollinator Steward program that begins May 5.
The five-week program focuses on ways to protect and support pollinators, says Eliza Pessereau, MU Extension field specialist in horticulture. Pollinator numbers are declining significantly due to habitat loss.
Pollinators – which include bees, butterflies, birds and bats – play a vital role in fruit and vegetable production by transferring pollen, enabling plants to produce fruits and seeds. They also contribute to healthy ecosystems that stabilize soils, support wildlife and improve air quality, says Pessereau.
MU Extension coordinated with beekeepers, Extension Master Gardeners, MU Extension Master Naturalists and partner groups such as the Missouri Department of Conservation to create the program.
Pessereau says statewide virtual presentations will be supplemented by local in-person field sessions and tours. The program will be available at seven locations across Missouri, including the MU Extension Urban East regional office at 8225 Florissant Road, St. Louis. MU Extension specialists will be on hand at virtual sessions to provide materials and answer questions.
The first session, via Zoom, is 9:30 a.m. to noon Monday, May 5. Sessions run through June 16. Sessions will be recorded, and a link will be provided to registered students for later viewing.
This course qualifies as Advanced Training for Extension Master Gardeners and Missouri Master Naturalists. This course has been certified for these learning objectives for the Great Plains Master Beekeeping program: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.10, 1.11, 3.6 and 3.14.
Presentation schedule: May 5, insects; May 12, plant-pollinator interactions; May 19, native bees and other pollinators; June 2, honeybees; June 9 and June 16, pollinators in nature and agriculture. In-person events include visits with beekeepers and tours of native pollinator habitat and a farm with practices that enhance pollinator biodiversity.
Locations and registration. For more information, contact Pessereau at eliza.pessereau@missouri.edu or 314-403-7410.