Pollinator conference seeks public engagement this year

The national Protecting Pollinators in Urban Landscapes conference is Oct. 10-12 in Athens, Georgia.

The annual conference brings together researchers, educators, practitioners and others interested in bee conservation through discussions, talks and education sessions. It is the first time in the history of the conference that it is in the Southeast.

“We’re looking forward to getting to network, participate and meet people,” said Kris Braman, one of the coordinators for the event and entomology department head at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “We’re having speakers come in from all over, but also some who are local. I’m really looking forward to getting to have this interaction.”

The conference is emphasizing public engagement this year with the help of UGA Cooperative Extension county agents, who have been advertising the event to those beyond the research realm. To make the event more accessible, the conference offered scholarships to six applicants to cover registration, lodging and travel costs.

Speakers at the conference include a welcome from Nick T. Place, CAES dean and director, and presentations from CAES faculty, staff and graduate students including Keith Delaplane, Jennifer Berry and Rachel Smith.

During the conference, there will be opportunities to attend a workshop on how to implement a community-wide pollinator protection program and a tour of the UGA’s State Botanical Garden of Georgia.

The general conference registration fee is $275, or $180 for students, and optional workshops and tours are available for an additional cost. These fees cover two receptions, two breakfasts and one lunch.

Fees do not include lodging at the UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel, a unit of UGA Public Service and Outreach where the conference will be held, but rooms are available. Registration for the conference closes Sept. 30 at noon EST.

This conference is funded in part by the Pollinator Health Research and Application program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The conference is planned jointly by UGA, Michigan State University, North Carolina State University and the Cincinnati Zoo.

To learn more and see a full conference schedule, visit the conference website. To register, visit the conference registration page.

—Amanda Budd is a writer with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences