YES 4th graders are excited to partner up with the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program on May 15th. This will be an outstanding hands-on learning experience for us!
What is the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program?
The Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program is a joint effort between Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission,Prairie Plains Resource Institute, and the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program aims to provide support to PF/QF chapters across Nebraska to engage youth groups, families and communities in establishing pollinator habitat projects.
The objectives of this program are to increase awareness about decreasing pollinator populations, educate the general public on the importance of habitat for pollinators, and to establish quality pollinator habitat across the state. The program will provide tools for chapters to work with local community partners to create habitat projects that involve youth groups, schools and community groups.
Program support includes training on how to plan and conduct a pollinator project from start to finish, conservation/pollinator curriculum for classrooms, hands-on educational activities, and monitoring activities that can be conducted after the project is established. In addition, grants up to $1,000 are available to help with the cost of pollinator seed mixes and plants.
The results of this program will not only benefit pollinators by providing quality foraging and nesting habitat, but it will provide opportunities for youth to get outside and gain an appreciation for wildlife and conservation.
Need for the Program?
Pollinating insects are an essential component in global food production. Approximately one-third of all food and beverages is delivered by pollinators and many species of native pollinators and domesticated honey bees are in decline. Pollinator habitat also provides excellent brood rearing habitat for pheasants and quail as flowering plants attracts soft-bodied insects that pheasants and quail chicks rely on for survival during the first 6-8 weeks of life. Lastly, today’s
youth spend the majority of their time fixated on electronic devices and less than half of the time outdoors than their parents did.
One in four children are obese, and as a result, diseases like type 2 diabetes are showing up at an alarming rate. Research has shown that children who spend time outdoors are healthier, receive better grades, have longer attention spans, and are less prone to depression than children who spend most of their time indoors. If this trend continues, children today will not develop healthy lifestyles or an attachment to the outdoors with-out experiences that are fun and involve them personally.
To learn more about the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program, visit Pheasants Forever’s Habitat Education Blog at: http://pfqfhabitated.blogspot.com
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