National Pollinator Week at MSU – planting for the future
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EmailThe MSU campus is buzzing with activity this summer.
June 16-22 is National Pollinator Week, when people across the United States take action to support pollinators. Making positive changes for pollinators is part of the work at Michigan State University (MSU) all through the year, so Pollinator Week provides a chance to highlight the activities underway to make the MSU campus a positive place for pollinators and people.
The Sustainability Office coordinates campus-wide activities that have helped MSU gain designation as a Bee Campus USA program member. By partnering with the Landscape Services Division, Department of Entomology, various student groups, and the Beal Botanical Garden, this collaboration is bringing changes that will support pollinators all across the MSU main campus in East Lansing, Michigan. This includes reduced mowing to save on fuel and labor, adding Trees For Bees into new landscaping projects, and installing multiple new pollinator plantings near buildings and in open areas across the campus. These changes will provide more pollen and nectar for the insects that are so essential for our food supply and healthy natural habitats.
Students returning to campus this fall will notice new plantings as they walk between classes. There is a growing network of pollinator gardens that range from formal plantings to a more natural style, with some large areas where mowing has been reduced to allow plants to flower. For example, plantings along the banks of the Red Cedar River will reduce invasive species and protect the watershed while also providing food for pollinators. The new Wing Garden between the Multicultural Center and the river was installed this spring (Photo 1), providing a location to reflect on how pollinators, plants and people are connected.
In research, the Pollinator Performance Center located on the South Campus Farms provides a central focus for studies on honey bee health. This facility has some unique equipment that allows Department of Entomology researchers to study bee overwintering and how best to get colonies through the long Michigan winter. It also houses a dedicated honey room, allowing staff to prepare the honey used in MSU dining facilities and for sale at the Surplus Store.
Finally, to support the education mission of MSU, there are classes to teach MSU students about various pollinator-related topics. This includes learning about native bees and their interesting biology, habitat conservation to support pollinators and bee health. Veterinary students are learning about honey bee colonies so they can make informed decisions to treat for disease management. The restoration ecology class uses campus plantings as a location for hands-on learning, where students are recording how the native plants and pollinators change over time.
By highlighting how to support the bees, butterflies and other insects that provide beauty and crop pollination, MSU is showcasing what it means to be a Bee Campus USA institution. This initiative is coordinating students, staff and faculty as they make positive changes to the 5,000 acres of the main campus where they study and work, and it will continue to develop a more sustainable approach to the landscape.
For information on the Bee Campus USA program, visit Bee Campus USA Commitments.
A wide range of pollinator resources are available from MSU at the Michigan Pollinator Initiative website and Michigan State University Extension’s Beekeeping & Pollinators website.
