Ricketts' Lab bee researchers made a strong showing at the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources' Pollinator Symposium on March 17. Lab members also appeared in media coverage of the event.

Postdoctoral researcher Leif Richardson helped organize the statewide event, convening more than 150 individuals eager to discuss the complex challenges facing pollinators in Vermont and help identify strategies to protect them.

Taylor set a positive tone early in the day, arguing that society knows enough about pollinators to slow their decline. Toby Alexander of the USDA also hit a positive note, describing what actions farmers and homeowners can take to protect pollinators.

The event's keynote speaker was Rick Keigwin Jr. of the EPA. He brought the conversation to the national level, detailing actions undertaken following last year’s presidential memorandum on pollinator health. Rick also shared some insider info about the memo’s origins: supposedly, President Obama himself initiated it when he started asking his science advisors, “what is going on with the bees?”

PhD student Charlie Nicholson talked with business owners, farmers, government officials and concerned citizens during his roundtable discussion, “The Economics of Pollination." Appreciation for pollinating beetles, butterflies, bats, and bees was high. "It was exciting that this varied group thought our economies should reflect our values," Charlie says. 

UVM and the Gund Institute issued a press release and video featuring Taylor's and Charlie's research on wild bees and blueberries. The press release included descriptions of UVM pollinator research projects.

The event generated quite a bit of media attention, with Taylor and Leif appearing in the majority of stories. Check 'em out below:

-Blog post written by Charlie Nicholson.