Pollinators

Photographer: Ellen Morris Bishop (#1) & Mary O'Brien (#2-4)

Note: The proposed management plan erroneously states in Description and Values for pollinator that honey bees are decreasing.  

Simultaneous declines in native and managed pollinator populations globally, with highly-visible decreases in honeybees, bumble bees, and monarch butterflies, have brought into focus the importance of pollinator conservation. 

 In fact, globally, there are more honey bees now than ever before. As a managed species in human-constructed hives, their populations are annually restored for use as an insect form of livestock. As noted in an article re: native bees entitled “ Honey bees are not in peril. Native bees are” 1 (

But the decline of bees, as most of the public understands it, was always about managed, nonnative honey bees, not wild bees. This distinction is important because European honey bees have a whole industry working to sustain them — to treat sick colonies — whereas wild bees don’t. 

Even at the height of the bee declines, there were still more than 2 million colonies in the US. Globally, meanwhile, honey bee colonies are now up more than 80 percent since the 1960s. 

“There are likely more honey bees on the planet now than there ever have been in history,” said Scott Black, executive director of the Xerces Society, a nonprofit that advocates for pollinator conservation. “There’s not a conservation concern.”

 1 Jones, Benji. 2023.  Honey bees are not in peril. These bees are.  Vox Jan. 19.  https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/2023/1/19/23552518/honey-bees-native-bees-decline

GOALS

Conservation Alternative Goals (FW--POLLINATOR-GL): 01-03

1. MLNF partners with scientists and forest users to identify pollinators and the plant species and habitats they use.

   
   

2. Public knowledge of the presence and values of native pollinators on MLNF garners effective support for these native pollinators increases throughout the life of the plan. 

   
   

3. Knowledge of native pollinator species diversity, locations, and trends throughout the MLNF is extensive.

Proposed Management Plan Goals (Management Plan, Vol. 1) (FW--POLLINATOR-GL): 01

1. Work with partners to identify and foster opportunities to assess current pollinator habitat conditions, pollinator and wildflower populations, and potential drivers of change in these populations

DESIRED CONDITIONS

Conservation Alternative Desired Conditions (FW-POLLINATOR-DC): 01-03

1. Vegetation communities include significant proportions of native forbs and flowering shrubs to support diverse and self-sustaining native pollinator populations. 

   
   

2. Native pollinators are not being adversely affected by honeybee populations, including their diseases or competition. 

   
   

3. Native pollinators are being supported with forbs throughout the MLNF, including throughout the livestock growing season.

Proposed Management Plan Desired Conditions (Management Plan, Vol. 1) (FW-NPM DC): 01-02

1. Vegetation communities include a diversity of forbs and flowering shrubs that provide floral resources throughout the year, suitable nesting materials and sites, and large areas free from pesticides to support diverse and sustainable native pollinator populations.

   
   

2. Native pollinator populations can absorb disturbance events, without species elimination.

OBJECTIVES

Conservation Alternative Objectives (FW-POLLINATOR-OB): 01-03

1. Within one year following plan approval, a species list of native pollinators known to be present on MLNF is prepared and published on the website, and additional species are added as observed and documented. 

   
   

2. Within three years of plan adoption, habitat and location descriptions important for support of pollinators and pollinator groups (e.g., bumblebees) known to be in decline is assembled.

   
   

3. Within one year following plan approval, best management practices for maintenance and support of diverse native pollinators have been developed for the MLNF.

STANDARDS

Conservation Alternative Standards (FW-POLLINATOR-ST): 01

1. Permits for honey bee apiaries shall not be granted or renewed. 

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Standards (FW-POLLINATOR-ST): 01-02

1. Special use permits for apiaries shall not be issued for placement of hives within 5 miles of known insect-pollinated, at-risk plant species locations or at-risk insect populations.

   
   

2. A maximum of 20 hives shall be issued for each apiary special use permit.

Standards (FW-POLLINATOR-ST) - Alternative D - 01

1. “FW- POLLINATOR-ST-01 precludes authorization of special use permits for apiaries.”

GUIDELINES

Conservation Alternative Guidelines (FW-NPM-GD): 01-05

1. The growth of native forbs should be supported to ensure their ability to reproduce and to provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season for pollinators by setting grazing levels that allow forbs to flower and set seed.

   
   

2. Existing honey bee apiary permits should be phased out as opportunities arise.

   
   

3. The MLNF should work with partners to assess current pollinator and wildflower populations on MLNF.

   
   

4. In each livestock grazing permit renewal, the MLNF should state management practices that will support native forbs for native bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.

   
   

5. During restoration activities, the MLNF should use native pollinator-friendly, native seed mixes.

   
   

6. Pollinator-friendly, signed landscaping should be created on federal facilities.

Proposed Management Plan (Management Plan, Vol. 1) Guidelines (FW-NPM-GD):  01-04

1. To maintain pollinator populations, restoration activitiesshould include use of pollinator-friendly seed mixes and best management practices.

   
   

2. To maintain pollinator populations, pollinator-friendly best management practices and seed mixes should be used when maintaining or constructing facilities and following other ground-disturbing activities.

   
   

3. To maintain pollinator functions in the ecosystem, the use of pesticides toxic to insect pollinator species or that will remove useful floral resources should be minimized. To maintain native bee populations, the most recent best available science should be used to review a proposal to issue an apiary special use permit.

   
   

4. To maintain native bee populations, site-specific prescriptions for apiary special use permits should be developed.

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ABOUT THIS COMPARISON

All text in this chart is copied and pasted from the Conservation Alternative, the proposed Management Plan, and the DEIS except for any text in brackets and in italics font.

YELLOW HIGHLIGHTED TEXT

Provisions for management of pollinators and pollinator habitat that were submitted in the Conservation Alternative.

Yellow-masked text: Conservation Alternative provisions that are particularly important, but since the Conservation Alternative was not included in the DEIS, they have not been offered to the public as options for their comment.  

BLUE HIGHLIGHTED TEXT

Provisions for  management of pollinators and pollinator habitat in the Forest’s proposed Management Plan (which is Alternative B in the DEIS)

Blue-masked text: Forest Plan provisions that differ in important ways with the Conservation Alternative.

 GREEN HIGHLIGHTED TEXT

Alternatives to the Management Plan in the DEIS

Green-masked text: Anything noteworthy re: “All Alternatives” and/or Alternatives B, C, or D.