Agnes ScottCollege CampusPollinator HabitatPlanPrepared by Alaina Bandanza

Table of ContentsMISSION:AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE (ASC) COMMITS TOFOSTER AN ONGOING DIALOGUE ON THE IMPORTANCE OFPOLLINATOR CONSERVATION AND TO PROVIDESUSTAINABLE HABITAT TO POLLINATORS ON CAMPUS.

The Importance of PollinatorsAgnes Scott's CommitmentsCurrent Pollinator HabitatThe Bee SocietyOur HivesIntegrated Pest ManagementPlanning for the FutureResourcesBibliography

Photo credit: Emma Dufresne

The Importance ofPollinatorsHUMANITY'S MOST VITALSYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP

Habitat lossDiseaseEnvironmental ContaminantsParasites

75% of flowering plants on Earth rely onpollinators in order to fruit or set seed accordingto the National Academy of Sciences.Additionally, 30% of the food we eat is the directresult of animal pollinators (USDA).Main threats to pollinators include:Photo credit: Emma Dufresne

Habitat LossHABITAT LOSS IS ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES AFFECTING

POLLINATORS. Given the phenological dependence of pollinators on their native host plant species, it

is no surprise that continued alteration to their environment through increaseddevelopment, urbanization and fragmentation is having a negative impact on pollinator

populations.

Studies have shown that loss of habitat directly contributes to the loss of pollinatorspecies (Potts et al.)(Candido et al.)(Spiesman and Inouye).

OUR COMMITMENT: TO PROVIDE QUALITY HABITAT TOPOLLINATORS ON AGNES SCOTT CAMPUS.

Agnes Scott's Commitments

ENRICH POLLINATORHABITAT

ASC established it's first pollinatorgarden in 2019 and continues to prioritizepollinator habitat. Plans for establishmentof more habitat is stated in the Campus

Master Plan as drafted in late 2019.

HOST EVENTS

The Bee Society, a student organizationat ASC holds events througout the year

for students interested in pollinators.

Photo credit: Emma Dufresne

Photo credit: Emma Dufresne

Agnes Scott's Commitments

PARTICIPATE INSERVICE LEARNING

Bee Society members have theopportunity to volunteer with alum

gardener Lois Swords in the campusgarden as well as with numerous

Beecatur (Decatur's Bee City USAchapter) events.

EDUCATE CAMPUS ANDCOMMUNITY

The Bee Society at Agnes Scott Collegehosts multiple educational events yearly.

Bee Aware Week, held each spring offersfive days of programming related to

pollinator conservation and often featuresdocumuntary showings and guest

speakers.

Current Pollinator Habitat

EAST DOUGHERTY STREETLocated behind Bullock Science Center and in front of WoodruffGymnasium along East Dougherty St. is Agnes Scott College's first pollinator garden! Maintained and designed by Alum gardener Lois Swords this habitat was transitioned from an organic demonstration garden in Spring 2019. The garden boasts a rotating array of pollinator-attracting species such aszinnias, sunflowers, holy basil, indigo, echinacea, Mexican sunflowers, nativemilkweed, two blueberry bushes, and fig trees!

Photo credit: Emma Dufresne

honeybees and beyond (to include numerous solitary species)the damaging effects of neonicotinoidsresponsible beekeeping practicesthe effects of mosquito spraying

Established by a group of students looking to support our on-campus hives, the BeeSociety was founded with the mission of : "...educating the schooland local community about bees and their importance, maintaining and caring for ouron campus hives, and preserving one of humanity’s most important symbioticrelationships." The Bee Society has evolved since it's establishment to prioritize pollinatorconservation in all of it's forms and educates the campus on:

The Bee SocietyESTABLISHED 2015

Cared for by Dr. Douglas Fantz (Chemistry) and Dr.JohnPilger (Biology), the hives are housed on top of BullockScience Center. The college has the capacity to host up tothree colonies, though hives fluctuate year-to-year, withlosses being fairly common. Nuclei of bees are purchasedfrom area providers or swarms are captured from nearby oron campus. Students in the Atlanta area during the summer have theopportunity to help spin frames and harvest honey. Honeysold on campus supports the hives financially, with excessfunds donated to pollinator conservation nonprofits andcharities. Wax and honey from the hives are also used tomake lip balm and soap in collaboration with other studentorganizations.

Our Hives

Integrated Pest ManagementPlan Agnes Scott College held a round-table discussion with our lansdcapingcontractor BrightView on November 11th, 2019. In attendance were SusanKidd (Director of the Center for Sustainability), Dr. John Pilger (Professorof Biology and Bee Society Advisor), Lois Swords (Alumnae/gardenexpert/mentor), Karina Leung (CFS Arboretum Fellow), David Marder(ASC Director of Facilities), Chris Zabboth (BrightView Account Managerfor ASC), and Mike Jackson (BrightView Director of Technical Services )to discuss goals for Agnes Scott's IPM going forward. Following the first meeting of Agnes Scott's Bee Campus Committee(2/21/20), the first draft of Agnes Scott's IPM Plan has been approvedand can be found at the link here.

Planning for the Future

Plant material should be native or adapted species wherever possible toreduce maintenance and support local flora and fauna (pollinators).Consider alternatives to grass turf, such as meadows, shrubs, and other lowermaintenance landscape materials, in low activity areas to reduce irrigationneeds and support wildlife habitats.Create corridors where possible to allow wildlife to move safely and extend theavailability of resources needed for flora and fauna to thrive.

ASC seeks to continue to foster sustainability in all aspects of campus and as suchhas included extensive Sustainable Design Guidelines in the new Agnes ScottCollege Comprehensive Campus Master Plan (2020). Goals related to Bee Campus include:

Recommended Native Plants

Asters Bee Balm (Monarda)Blackeyed Susan Butterfly WeedButtonbush Catmint Cosmos Eastern Purple Coneflower Goldenrod Hardy Lantana HyssopIronweedJoe pye Weed

Lobed TickseedMexican Sunflower Mountain Mint PassionflowerSalviaSneezewoodSpiderwort St. John’s wortSunflowerSweet PepperbushWheat CelosiaWinter HoneysuckleYarrow

Resources

Plant resources:Pollinator-Friendly Plant list for GA:Georgia Center for Urban Agriculturehttps://ugaurbanag.com/pollinator-plant-list/Places to buy Native Plants:Georgia Native Plant Societygnps.org/Night Song Native Plant Nurseryhttps://www.nightsongnatives.com/Nearly Native Nurseryhttps://www.nearlynativenursery.com/State Botanical Garden of Georgiahttps://botgarden.uga.edu/Georgia Perimeter College, Decatur Campushttp://sites.gsu.edu/pcnativegarden/support/plant-sales/

Pollinator info:

List of Native GA Bees:Native Bees of Georgiahttp://native-bees-of-georgia.ggc.edu/ Comprehensive list of resources for allthings pollinators and natives: Beecatur (Decatur Bee City USA) under > "BEESOURCES"https://www.beecaturga.com/

Bibliography

Candido, Maria Eliene M. B., et al. “Effects of Fragments and Landscape Characteristics on the Orchid Bee Richness (Apidae: Euglossini) inan Urban Matrix, Southwestern Amazonia.” Journal of Insect Conservation, vol. 22, no. 3–4, Aug. 2018, pp. 475–86. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1007/s10841-018-0075-7.

Forister, Matthew L., et al. “Declines in Insect Abundance and Diversity: We Know Enough to Act Now.” Conservation Science andPractice, vol. 1, no. 8, Aug. 2019. DOI.org (Crossref), doi:10.1111/csp2.80.

Insects & Pollinators | NRCS. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/plantsanimals/pollinate/. Accessed 1 Oct.

2019.

Mader, Eric, et al. Attracting Native Pollinators. Storey Publishing, 2011.

Potts, Simon G., et al. “Global Pollinator Declines: Trends, Impacts and Drivers.” Trends in Ecology & Evolution, vol. 25, no. 6, June 2010,pp. 345–53. ScienceDirect, doi:10.1016/j.tree.2010.01.007.

Spiesman, Brian J., and Brian D. Inouye. “Habitat Loss Alters the Architecture of Plant-Pollinator Interaction Networks.” Ecology, vol. 94,

no. 12, 2013, pp. 2688–96.

US EPA, OCSPP. “Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles.” US EPA, 28 Sept. 2015,https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles.

Vaughan et al. - Reduce Pesticide Risks to Pollinators & Other Agri.Pdf.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/assets/documents/agroforestrynotes/an35g09.pdf. Accessed 18 Feb. 2020.

Vaughan, Mace, et al. Reduce Pesticide Risks to Pollinators & Other Agriculturally Beneficial Insects. p. 8.

What Is IPM? - Southern IPM Center. https://southernipm.org/about/what-is-ipm/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2020.