A Pollinator Summit planned online by University of Idaho Extension for today and tomorrow will focus on pollinators and their habitats on the Palouse and beyond.

The summit will begin today, Feb. 24, with a youth summit from 4-5 p.m. Mountain time, followed by a series of short programs from experts about the current status of bees and other pollinators from 6-8 p.m. From 2-6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, experts will focus on current research and efforts to protect habitats in the future.

The summit is free and open to those who register online for individual sessions, including the youth summit. Registration is at palousepollinators.wixsite.com/savethebees.

The youth summit will feature storytelling with Merna Anne Hecht and bee house kit building. More information is available from Kelli Cooper, who works for the City of Moscow, at [email protected].

Tonight's session about the status of Palouse pollinators will feature experts on habitat improvements, bee research and preferred plants. U of I Extension Elmore County Educator Brad Stokes of Mountain Home will talk about state and local efforts to help pollinators.

Other participants tonight will represent the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Palouse Prairie Foundation and U of I William F. Barr Entomological Museum.

The Thursday afternoon session will feature U of I College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Dean Michael Parrella, Moscow Parks and Recreation Director Dwight Curtis and Pollinator Partnership Director Ron Bitner, who will talk about the group’s Bee-Friendly Farming certification program.

Other Thursday afternoon presenters will represent the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Washington State University. WSU beekeeper and queen bee breeder Melanie Kirby will deliver the keynote presentation, “It Takes a Community: Place, Purpose and Power in Landscape and Pollinator Conservation,”at 5:30 p.m.

More information is available from summit organizer Iris Mayes at the U of I Extension Latah County Office at [email protected] or 208-883-2267. Other sponsors include the City of Moscow, Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute, Rural Roots, Palouse Prairie Foundation and the Palouse Environmental Sustainability Coalition.

Source: University of Idaho Extension, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.