It’s the Year of the Bat – Celebrate National Pollinator Week with Us!

Pollinator populations continue to decline – from bats to bees to beetles to butterflies and birds – species that are vital to a functioning ecosystem, ensuring the crops we eat, dispersing the seeds of future generations and controlling insect pests. This summer we’re celebrating the Year of the Bat, a 2011-2012 designation of the United Nations Environment Programme focusing international attention on the uniqueness of the earth’s 1,100 bat species, and National Pollinator Week (June 18-24, 2012), established by the US Senate five years ago to recognize the invaluable services provided by these unsung heroes of the natural world and promote conservation efforts to protect them.

Join us for the following special programs both here at the Park and across the street at Whole Foods where it’s all about Honey Bee Awareness June 13-26.

funding for Year of the Bat/Pollinator Week activities provided by the Wallace Research Foundation.

at Whole Foods
Friday 6/15 or 6/22
Friday Night at the Movies

Saturday 6/16 – 11am to 1pm
Trouble in Paradise: Threats to Native Bees

Dr. Stephen Buchmann, co-author of The Forgotten Pollinators, showcases Arizona’s native bee diversity, discusses current threats to bees and other pollinators and examines the amazing ways bees make a living – from carpenters to masons to social parasite free-loaders.

Saturday 6/23 – 11am to 1pm
Beekeeping is an Art
Linda McKittrick

at Tohono Chul Park

Gardening to Attract Pollinators

Sat. Jun. 23 / 10am / Ed. Ctr. #1
Looking for a way to bring new “life” to your landscape while helping our native pollinators? Nature lovers and home gardeners have long know the satisfaction in observing birds, butterflies and bees in their own backyards. Naturalist Lynn Hassler shares tips on how you can craft a low-maintenance backyard habitat inviting to our native pollinators, offers ideas for plant combinations to sustain pollinators like butterflies through both larval and adult stages, and provides a list of attractive, enticing low-water-use plants. Enhance your personal landscape and help pollinators in the process; it’s a winning combination! Free

Bee It Ever So Humble: Homes for Bees

Sat. Jun. 23 / 2pm / Ed. Ctr. #2
Dr. Stephen Buchmann, co-author of The Forgotten Pollinators, starts this hands-on workshop with a look at the ecology and lifestyles of some of our local wood-nesting bees, and how our "bee condos" actually mimic the dead branches and trees they seek out in nature. Then it’s on to hand drills and wood blocks as participants construct a simple bee nesting block to take home and install in their landscape. Participants will have the option of leaving their bee condos “rustic” or embellishing them by painting or staining the wood. All materials provided. $35 members / $45 general public

Meet the Bats!

Sat. Jun 23 / 2-4pm / Ed. Ctr. #1
Mysterious and misunderstood, bats are essential to a healthy global ecosystem, but have you ever meet one? In this Year of the Bat, we can make that happen! Wildlife biologist Debbie Buecher and bat biologist Dr. Ronnie Sidner are joined by some of their “batty” friends in a free ranging presentation that introduces visitors to several of Arizona’s resident bat species, shares amazing facts about bat habits and habitat and shatters some long held myths and misconceptions. Bring the family and make the acquaintance of one of your flying mammal neighbors; you’ll be glad you did! Free

The Exciting Night Life of Bats!

Sat. Jun 23 / 7pm / Ed. Ctr. #1
Did you know that bats are the primary predators of night-flying insects? Or that they provide important pollination services for many of our desert’s columnar cacti and succulents? Arizona is home to 28 species of bats, more than any other state, and they can be found from the forests of the Colorado Plateau to the desert floor. Conservation biologist Karen Krebbs of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a noted bat researcher both in the United States and Mexico. She joins us for an evening presentation detailing her recent research, in particular that being conducted on the grounds of Tohono Chul Park, and shares stories about these beneficial mammals of the night skies. As a special treat, Krebbs will bring along one of her research subjects and take us outside to listen for some of the local bat chatter! Free

Diversity through Nature enriches audience diversity and education

Saturday, June 23 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
William Goodrich Jones State Forest Environmental Learning Center & Pollinator Gardens
1328 FM
1488 Conroe/The Woodlands 77384

Offered in partnership with Texas Forest Service, US Forest Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife, AgriLIFE Extension, Latino Legacy, Friends of National Forest & Grasslands in Texas and Heartwood Chapter Texas Master Naturalist

Take a walk among the different outdoor clinics featuring:
·Pollinator gardening – growing small can make a big impact ·Going wild with native plants – pollinator garden talk & tour ·Nature walk on your own or with family members ·Basics of Beekeeping – honey, handling, equipment, hives ·Bring picnic lunch ·No set schedule, relax and walk among the flowers and pollinators – stop - visit with an expert at the different stations

Getting outdoors encourages healthy, active outdoor fun and reconnects our youth and families to the land.

MUST sign-up by calling 936/273-2261 with name, phone number and email address or email jonesstateforest@tfs.tamu.edu

Although we will have our event during this week we provide tours and information about all the native pollinators all summer long.

www.beagleridgeherbfarm.com