B A S E L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E

SAN FRANCISCO · PORTLAND · BASELANDSCAPE.COM

Pesticides and Pollinators: Policy, Practice, and Activism

Presenters Patricia Algara, ASLA, Principal BASE Landscape Architecture Sutter Wehmeier, PLA, LEED AP, Principal - BASE Landscape Architecture Chris A.Geiger, Ph.D. San Francisco Department of the Environment

Learning Objectives

I. Understand how systemic pesticides applied to horticultural plant material threaten larger ecosystems

II. Gain insight into city-based efforts regulate pesticide use and create pollinator friendly environments

III. Survey the field of international, domestic, and state-labeling requirements for plant material treated with neonicitinoids

IV. Learn tools and strategies for incorporating aesthetically pleasing, functional, and pollinator-friendly plant species into landscape designs

V. Learn techniques to source the right seeds/plants in your planting specs VI. Learn about the benefits of urban gardens for pollinators

Introduction

I. Why are pollinators and bees important? a) Around 80% of all flowering plants are pollinated by animals [1] b) Around 30% of all food relies on bee pollination c) The economic impact of bees

II. What are neonicotinoids a) Definition

III. How neonics harm bees a) Neonic regulation may be controversial, but the fact these chemicals are toxic to

bees is not. Bee mortality associated with neonics is most visible when they are improperly. However, bees are exposed directly to neonics in unexpected ways Additionally, sublethal doses can still have dramatic effects

b) Other systemic pesticides – including insecticides and some fungicides – can also kill bees. Most non-systemic pesticides, including many commonly used products, are quite lethal to bees too.

IV. What can we do? a) Policy b) Practice c) Activism

B A S E L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E

SAN FRANCISCO · PORTLAND · BASELANDSCAPE.COM

Policy, lessons learned from IPM in San Francisco - Chris Geiger PhD Policies to reduce pesticides

I. The good news: Properly designed landscapes, with the right plant species, the right seedling stock, and managed under an IPM program, will rarely if ever need insecticides or fungicides II. Control of nature vs. harmony with nature

d) Managed landscapes very controlled e) But can work with natural systems

III. Definition of IPM a) Decisionmaking system, not tools or products b) Prevention first, disruptive controls (chemicals) last c) Part of integrated pest management (IPM) is saving pesticides as a last resort –

and even then using products that will not kill pollinators or other Beneficial’s

IV. Ingredients of a successful IPM program a) Team effort – not top-down b) Creating corporate culture c) Lists – put boundaries on pesticide use d) Training – information instead of chemicals e) Challenging old ways of doing things f) Communication – with clients and management

V. Some ideas from the SF team a) Sheet mulching b) Covering the ground quickly c) Growing a healthy “crop” d) Avoiding water problems e) Challenging customers’ thresholds – ex. English daisies f) Watch out for the scope of work – some things take longer

Practice and considerations for Landscape Architects’s - Sutter Wehmeier, ASLA

I. Specifying safe plants: Nursery and horticultural perspective a) Prevalence of neonic usage in ornamental horticulture and different ways they

are applied to plant material b) Nursery crops are treated at much higher application rates than agricultural crops c) Importance of increased communication between landscape architects and

growers d) List of safe growers we compiled & what to ask growers when specifying plants e) How to leverage SITES and other green certification programs f) Different approaches toward specifications: contract grow, testing requirements,

required labeling, pre-approved grower lists, getting granular

B A S E L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E

SAN FRANCISCO · PORTLAND · BASELANDSCAPE.COM

Activism - Patricia Algara, ASLA I. Designing pollinator habitats

a) Importance of urban habitats for bees b) A haven from pesticides on agricultural land c) Variation in planting provides diverse forage in contrast to the massive mono-

cultures on agricultural land d) Gardens, but also urban/community agriculture - both of which can thrive without

pesticide use and typically contain highly varied, dense plantings II. Scale and case studies

a) Personal/Private Garden -The Algarden the practice of beekeeping b) City/Educational School Gardens - School gardens in SF, creating habitat and

education c) Civic/Public Space - Pollinator Boulevard, habitat and building community

III. Challenge a) Do it in your city, find a public space where it can be done b) Use he list of resources to help you

IV. Thank you!

BEEBEEBEEBEEBEEBEEBEEBEEBEESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFESAFE

Friendly PlantsSourcing Pollinator

“Neonicotinoids are not

only capable of killing bees outright by attacking their nervous system

s, but low

levels of exposure can im

pair foraging abilities and navigation; disrupt learning, com

munication and m

emory;

reduce fecundity and queen production; and suppress

the imm

une systems of bees,

making them

more vulnerable

to disease and pests. 1”

baselandscape.com

45 29th StreetSan Francisco, C

A 94110415.509.3728patricia@

baselandscape.com

HO

W TO

HELP

1. Learn about bees! Read primary

sources and analyze content for biases.

2. Start a garden! Use bee-safe plants and

provide a source of fresh water. U

rban habitats provide diverse forage and a haven from

agricultural pesticides.

3. Eat organic! Create dem

and for produce grow

n without chem

icals that harm bees.

4. Befriend a beekeeper! Buy honey from

your local apiarist.

5. Advocate for bees! Talk to your friends

and ask your representatives to support pollinator friendly legislation.

6. Talk to BASE! BASE can help you design and

select appropriate plants for your pollinator habitat.

Acetam

ipridClothianidinD

inotefuranIm

idacloprid

Nitenpyram

Nithiazine

ThiaclopridThiam

ethoxam

THE N

EON

ICOTIN

OID

S

Buying a pesticide? Check the active ingredients. The follow

ing chemicals are all neonics:

ClN

NN

HN

NO

2

Imidacloprid, the neonicotinoid pictured above, is the

most popular pesticide in the w

orld.

WH

AT A

RE “NEO

NICS”?

SAFE G

ROW

ERS:

RESOU

RCES

WH

AT CA

N I D

O?

Neonicotinoids, or “neonics”, are a class of neurotoxic

systemic insecticides that can persist for m

any years in soil and plants. �

is means they act on the brain

and nervous system and they are absorbed by the

plant and distributed throughout its tissues. Neonics

are extremely e�ective, easy to use, and less toxic to

humans than som

e previously used pesticides. �ese

qualities have made them

the most w

idely used of all classes of insecticides. 2

Vote with your w

allet! Request plants that have not been treated w

ith neonicotinoids. �e label

“pollinator friendly” often only means “pollinator

attractive”, and many so-labeled plants have tested

positive for neonics.

Friends of the Earthfoe.org

�e X

erces Society for Invertebrate C

onservationxerces.org

Pesticide Research Institute

pesticideresearch.com

Pollinator Stewardship

Council

pollinatorstewardship.org

Pesticide Action N

etwork

panna.org

North C

oast Gardening

northcoastgardening.com

GRO

WER

NEO

NIC PO

LICY

Berkeley Horticultural N

urseryberkeleyhort.com(510) 526-4704(Retail)

Cal Color Grow

erscalcolorgrow

ers.com(408) 778-0835(W

holesale)

None applied or sold in store. CA

Certified Organic plants, herbs,

vegatables, and any plants labeled bee-friendly are neonic-free.

Stopped using neonics at the end of 2014.

Central Coast Wilds

centralcoastwilds.com

(831) 459-0655(W

holesale)

No neonics use. O

rganic neem

oil, an insecticidal vegetable oil, is the only pesticide used.

Suncrest Nurseries, Inc.

suncrestnurseries.com(831) 728-2595(W

holesale)

Stopped using neonicotinoids as of July 1st, 2014.

Devil M

ountaindevilm

ountainnursery.com(925) 829-6006(W

holesale)

No neonics used.

REFERENCES

1. Brown T

J, Kegley SE, Archer L. (2013) G

ardeners Beware: Bee-Toxic

Pesticides Found in “Bee-Friendly” Plants sold at Garden C

enters Nation-

wide. Friends of the Earth-U

.S.

2. Jeschke P, Nauen R

, Schindler M, Elbert A. (2011) O

verview of the

Status and Global Strategy for N

eonicotinoids. Journals of Agricultural and Food C

hemistry 59: 2897–2908.

3. Gill R

J, Ram

os-Rodriguez O, R

aine NE. (2012) C

ombined pesticide

exposure severely a�ects individual- and colony-level traits in bees. Nature

491, 105-108.

4. Klein A et al. (2007) Im

portance of pollinators in changing landscapes for w

orld crops. Proc. R. Soc. B 274 303-313.

5. Lee KV

et al. (2015) A national survey of managed honey bee 2013–

2014 annual colony losses in the USA. Apidologie 46(3), 292–305.

We called several w

holesale and retail nurseries in N

orthern California to ask about their pest m

anagement strategies and rated them

according to how

confident we are that their plants are safe

for bees. See the full list on our website at http://

baselandscape.com/portfolio/bee-safe.

If you’re

wondering about a grow

er that isn’t listed, give them

a call!

Bay Natives

baynatives.com(415) 287-6755(Retail)

None applied in store.

Insecticidal soap and tobacco tea are the only pesticides used by Bay N

atives.

PROFESSIO

NA

LS- Specify plants that are not treated w

ith neonics.- Provide contractors w

ith a pre-approved list of safe grow

ers so it’s easy for them to �nd plants that

meet your speci�cations.

- Use only organic fertilizers in your designs.

- Adopt an integrated pest managem

ent strategy in your m

aintenance methodology.

GA

RDEN

ERS- C

all nurseries to ask about pest managem

ent strategies before you buy from

them.

- Don’t use neonics on your law

n or garden.- Rethink your relationship w

ith “weeds”. �

ey grow

so fast because they are well suited to the

conditions in your garden and they provide diverse forage for pollinators.

While there is som

e debate about the severity of neonics’ im

pact on bees under real �eld conditions, their toxicity to bees and the im

portance of bees to ecosystem

s and agriculture are uncontroversial. 3,4

Beekeepers have

been losing

an unsustainable

portion5 of their colonies every year since 2006, and

neonics are a strongly implicated culprit. Beekeepers

can breed honey bees to restore their numbers, but

native pollinators like bumblebees and butter�ies

have no such support.

None applied at retail level. That’s pretty good! N

eonics last a w

hile, so be sure to ask about their suppliers’ policies.

None applied at grow

er level. That’s great! This rating m

eans we don’t know

that what they use instead is safe.

None applied at grow

er level and only organic pesticides that are fairly harm

less to bees are used. That’s the best!

321

SAFE GROWERS:

GROWER NEONIC POLICY

We called several wholesale and retail nurseries in and around Northern California to ask about their pest management strategies and rated them according to how confident we are that their plants are safe for bees.

ee the full list on our website at http baselandscape.com portfolio bee safe. f you’re wondering about a grower that isn’t listed, give them a call

None applied at retail level. hat’s pretty good Neonics last a while, so be sure to ask about their suppliers’ policies.

None applied at grower level. hat’s great his rating means we don’t know that what they use instead is safe.

None applied at grower level and only organic pesticides that are fairly harmless to bees are used. hat’s the best

Bay Nativesbaynatives.com41 2

(Retail)

None applied in store. nsecticidal soap and tobacco tea are the only pesticides used by ay Natives.

Berkeley Horticultural Nurseryberkeleyhort.com

10 2 4 04(Retail)

None applied or sold in store. C Certified Organic plants, herbs, vegatables, and any plants labeled bee friendly are neonic free.

BJ’s Wholesale Clubb s.com

00 2 2 2(Retail)

ll vendors re uired to disclose neonic use in nursery or plant able products. ny vendors using neonics re uired to phase them out by 2014 or have a cautionary label applied to their products.

Blooming Nurserybloomingnursery.com

0 2 04(Wholesale)O

No neonics used.

Blooms Wholesale Nurserybloomswholesalenursery.com

0 0 0(Wholesale)

No neonics used.

Cal Color Growerscalcolorgrowers.com40 0

(Wholesale)

No neonics used as of end of 2014.

Cedarglen Floralcedarglen oral.com

0 0(Wholesale)O

No neonics used. No coated seeds purchased. ses beneficial insects and a balanced approach to control pests. Only O listed pesticides with low impact on beneficial insects used.

3

2

1

Cactus Junglecactus ungle.com

10 0(Retail)

No neonics used.

American Meadowsamericanmeadows.com

0Online eeds

No neonics used by merican eadows. ll neonic free products labeled on website. oal to be 100 neonic free by 201 .

GROWER NEONIC POLICY

Devil Mountaindevilmountainnursery.com

2 2 00(Wholesale)

No neonics used.

Horizon Herbshori onherbs.com

41 4 2(Wholesale + Retail)O

No neonics used. certified organic.

Lowe’slowes.com

4(Retail)

lan to phase out sale of products that contain neonics by 201 .

Mountain Valley Growersmountainvalleygrowers.com

2(Wholesale + Retail)

No neonics used. certified organic.

Native Sonsnativeson.com

0 4 1(Wholesale)

No neonics used.

Suncrest Nurseriessuncrestnurseries.com

0 1 1(Wholesale + Retail)

No neonics used.

Crimson Sage Nurserycrimson sage.com

0 2 0(Wholesale + Retail)

No neonics used. certified organic. elies on natural pest resistance of herbs and yearly introduction of ladybugs to control aphids.

High Ranch Nursery, Inc.hrnursery.com

1 2 2 1(Wholesale)

No neonics used. ythrins preferred.

Elkhorn Native Plant Nurseryelkhornnursery.com

1 120(Wholesale)

No pesticides used due to ad acency to lkhorn lough.

Intermountain Nurseryintermountainnursery.com

11(Wholesale + Retail)

No neonics used.

Prairie Moonprairiemoon.com

41 1Online eeds

No neonics used. No products containing neonics sold.

Central Coast Wildscentralcoastwilds.com

1 4 0(Wholesale)

No neonics use. Organic neem oil, an insecticidal vegetable oil, is the only pesticide used.

B A S E L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E

SAN FRANCISCO · PORTLAND · BASELANDSCAPE.COM

ASLA 2015 Pesticides and Pollinators: Policy, Practice, and Activism Patricia Algara, ASLA, Principal BASE Landscape Architecture Sutter Wehmeier, PLA, LEED AP, Principal - BASE Landscape Architecture Chris A.Geiger, Ph.D. San Francisco Department of the Environment Introduction

I. Why are pollinators and bees important? a) Around 80% of all flowering plants are pollinated by animals [1] b) Around 30% of all food relies on bee pollination c) The economic impact of bees

II. What are neonicotinoids a) Definition

III. How neonics harm bees a) Neonic regulation may be controversial, but the fact these chemicals are toxic to

bees is not. Bee mortality associated with neonics is most visible when they are improperly. However, bees are exposed directly to neonics in unexpected ways Additionally, sublethal doses can still have dramatic effects

b) Other systemic pesticides – including insecticides and some fungicides – can also kill bees. Most non-systemic pesticides, including many commonly used products, are quite lethal to bees too.

IV. What can we do? a) Policy b) Practice c) Activism

Policy, lessons learned from IPM in San Francisco - Chris Geiger PhD Policies to reduce pesticides

I. The good news: Properly designed landscapes, with the right plant species, the right seedling stock, and managed under an IPM program, will rarely if ever need insecticides or fungicides II. Control of nature vs. harmony with nature

d) Managed landscapes very controlled e) But can work with natural systems

III. Definition of IPM a) Decisionmaking system, not tools or products b) Prevention first, disruptive controls (chemicals) last c) Part of integrated pest management (IPM) is saving pesticides as a last resort –

and even then using products that will not kill pollinators or other Beneficial’s

IV. Ingredients of a successful IPM program a) Team effort – not top-down b) Creating corporate culture

B A S E L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E

SAN FRANCISCO · PORTLAND · BASELANDSCAPE.COM

c) Lists – put boundaries on pesticide use d) Training – information instead of chemicals e) Challenging old ways of doing things f) Communication – with clients and management

V. Some ideas from the SF team a) Sheet mulching b) Covering the ground quickly c) Growing a healthy “crop” d) Avoiding water problems e) Challenging customers’ thresholds – ex. English daisies f) Watch out for the scope of work – some things take longer

Practice and considerations for Landscape Architects’s - Sutter Wehmeier, ASLA

I. Specifying safe plants: Nursery and horticultural perspective a) Prevalence of neonic usage in ornamental horticulture and different ways they

are applied to plant material b) Nursery crops are treated at much higher application rates than agricultural crops c) Importance of increased communication between landscape architects and

growers d) List of safe growers we compiled & what to ask growers when specifying plants e) How to leverage SITES and other green certification programs f) Different approaches toward specifications: contract grow, testing requirements,

required labeling, pre-approved grower lists, getting granular

Activism - Patricia Algara, ASLA I. Designing pollinator habitats

a) Importance of urban habitats for bees b) A haven from pesticides on agricultural land c) Variation in planting provides diverse forage in contrast to the massive mono-

cultures on agricultural land d) Gardens, but also urban/community agriculture - both of which can thrive without

pesticide use and typically contain highly varied, dense plantings II. Scale and case studies

a) Personal/Private Garden -The Algarden the practice of beekeeping b) City/Educational School Gardens - School gardens in SF, creating habitat and

education c) Civic/Public Space - Pollinator Boulevard, habitat and building community

III. Challenge a) Do it in your city, find a public space where it can be done b) Use he list of resources to help you

IV. Thank you!