As World Bee Day is observed on May 20, to be followed by the International Day for Biodiversity on May 22, the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network of Trinidad and Tobago (BES-Net TT) is seeking to build public awareness of the need to conserve and create havens for local pollinators.
Each year, there are a host of special observances with environmental foci, to bring attention to the environmental issues affecting plant Earth, but more so, these observances create an opportunity for people to take action to address these issues.
Here in TT, one of these issues is sustainable food security. Unfortunately, most people do not make the connection between pollinator species and food production, and also, the connection between personal, unregulated use of pesticides and pollinator health.
In this article, the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network Trinidad and Tobago (BES-Net TT) project shares information to help you make a personal contribution to protecting our pollinators and food security, through the creation of safe havens.
Importance of pollinators
Pollinators start a key process for food production, as they bring male and female reproductive cells together, by transfer of pollen grains from one flower to the female parts of flowers of the same plant species. After male and female reproductive cells join in the process of fertilisation, fruit and seed production is possible. This is a very simple explanation of how important pollination, and therefore, pollinators are to food production and plant reproduction.
While national efforts for pollinator protection may be ensconced in broad policies for environmental protection, more needs to be done at the industrial, community and personal level to become aware of pollinators and to take actions which can help to conserve and improve pollinator protection.
[caption id="attachment_1084547" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Mature boxed colony of stingless bees -[/caption]
Negative impacts on pollinators
The changing climate is having an effect on pollinators, since changes in weather patterns have been affecting reproductive cycles of animals and the availability of water. Extensive use of broad spectrum pesticides in pest control in food production systems also compromises pollinator health, as killing of non-target beneficial organisms, like pollinators may occur. The pollinators’ habitats are also impacted by clear felling of trees, removing natural vegetation and replacing native plants by hybrids and exotics.
Pesticide alternatives
If all the negative actions above are replaced by positive changes, a lot can be done to minimise impacts on pollinator species. For pesticides used in agricultural systems, ensure that the selected chemical is environmentally friendly and less toxic to non-target organisms. A simple change is using chemicals with blue or green coded labels instead of chemicals with red and yellow coded labels.
In the home, pesticide use can be harmful to pollinators. The extensive use of spray insecticides for co
