Seven actions that can save bees and other pollinators

Pollinators are in the midst of an ongoing crisis

Across the country, pollinators are vanishing.

Bees, butterflies, beetles, hummingbirds and even bats are dying off. 

For some species, entire populations have faded away in merely a few decades. Western monarch butterfly populations have plummeted by 95%, songbird populations have fallen by nearly 30% and nearly a quarter of our native bee species are inching toward extinction. 

When pollinators begin to disappear, the foundations of ecosystems start to crumble and food webs fray. Roughly 75% of all flowering plants need pollinators to reproduce: including fruits, nuts, vegetables and many other crops. Without pollinators, food chains falter, biodiversity shrinks and landscapes degrade. What impacts our pollinators impacts us all. 

The causes are complex but they’re well-documented: toxic pesticides, loss of native habitat, industrialized agriculture, light pollution, invasive species and climate disruption. And while no one solution will fix it all, there are still plenty of actions we can take to help save our native pollinators. 

We’ve outlined seven essential steps to protect pollinators. These actions are ones that communities, institutions and, in some cases, individuals can take and support today to help secure a greener future full of fluttering, flower-finding pollinators. 

#1: Take neonics off of store shelves

We’ll start with neonicotinoids, or neonics, which are some of the most harmful pesticides on the market for pollinators. 

These chemicals are widely used in agriculture, and since their commercial introduction, the very fields where we grow our food have become 48 times more toxic. These pesticides target the nervous systems of bees and other pollinators, disrupting behavior and feeding while slowly poisoning the insect. Yet, neonics are still often sold to consumers for use on lawns and gardens.

We’re calling for an immediate end to the retail sale of neonics, meaning that if consumers don’t have a pesticide license, they can’t get their hands on these bee killing chemicals. While states should pass laws to keep them off the shelves—and 12 states have done so (California, Connecticut, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington)—stores don’t have to wait: They can stop selling these dangerous products on their own. 

Pollinators are too important to indiscriminately kill with these toxic pesticides. While 12 states have already taken action, retailers should catch up and stop the sale of neonicotinoid pesticides in all 50 states.  

#3: Stop the use of neonics on public lands and wildlife areas

So now they’re banned from shelves and farmland. Does that mean neonic use is finally finished? Well…

Public lands—from state parks to wildlife areas—should be safe havens for pollinators and other insects. However, many of these supposedly protected places are still being sprayed with neonics and other harmful pesticides, threatening the very species they’re supposed to conserve.

We’re advocating for full bans on neonic use across public lands and wildlife areas. These spaces belong to everyone, including the bees, butterflies and birds that rely on them. The use of these pesticides not only hurts the protected animals, but also harms ecosystems and damages food chains. Removing toxic pesticides is one of the simplest and most effective ways to restore the health of ecosystems and promote proper wildlife stewardship.

#4: Plant and support pollinator habitat on public lands

Now that we’ve officially removed harmful pesticides, it’s time to plant some suitable habitat for our newly saved pollinators. 

From city parks to state forests, around 28% of America’s lands are publicly owned and managed. That’s millions of acres of public land, some of which could be turned into vibrant habitat for pollinators. Planting native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs on these sites can create food and shelter for hundreds of species, all without major infrastructure or cost.

Providing our floundering pollinators with suitable habitat and resources not only benefits them, it beautifies once boring spaces like sidewalks and parking lots, turning them instead into green spaces that support life. More plants and more pollinators also mean more robust ecosystems, increasing biodiversity and promoting ecological health.  

Pollinator habitat programs already exist in some states, but they need to be scaled up. We’re working to make pollinator-friendly planting the default for parks, campuses and other public lands not already in active use.

#5: Plant and support pollinator habitat beside highways

Highways may not seem like great places for wildlife (well, except for wildlife crossings), but with the right approach, these monochromatic stretches of concrete can become verdant, vital corridors for pollinators. Planting long strips of vegetation along roadsides offers a unique opportunity to connect fragmented habitats while making use of previously unused and overlooked land.

This habitat can provide important stops and food along migration routes like those of the monarch butterfly. By reducing mowing, planting native wildflowers and other native, flowering plants, and eliminating pesticide use along roadways, we can transform shoulders and medians into thriving pollinator pathways. States including Iowa and Texas have already implemented these policies; now it’s time to take it nationwide.

 #6: Promote pollinator awareness programs

People want to help pollinators, but with so many different threats facing these important critters, a lot of people don’t know where to start. Public education campaigns, community events and even specialty license plates can go a long way toward raising awareness and funding for pollinator protection.

Whether you’re learning how to plant a pollinator-friendly garden, researching the safest fertilizers to use on your lawn, or educating your community about the importance of local pollinator habitats, learning about the issues and their solutions is the best place to start.

We’re urging more states to launch or expand programs that celebrate pollinators and make it easier for residents to take action. From National Pollinator Week to monarch festivals to pollinator license plates, these programs can help turn that curiosity and knowledge into genuine momentum to help pollinators and other species. 

#7: Make more yards and gardens pollinator friendly

Lawns cover more land in the U.S. than most crops. In fact, about 2% of the continental American landmass is just lawns. Unfortunately, many of these lawns are also pretty much ecological dead zones. By converting just a portion of that turf to native wildflowers, flowering herbs or shrubs, homeowners can create critical habitat for bees, butterflies and countless other species. 

Whether you have a backyard, a balcony or just a sliver of green space, you can make a difference. That’s why we’re encouraging more people to ditch pesticides, plant native species, and turn their humdrum green spaces into colorful pollinator havens. 

Not only will this benefit pollinators, but it will also help rebuild your local ecosystem. You’ll see new plants, birds, mammals and insects scurrying or flying across your yard. You’ll witness increased biodiversity, maybe even species you’ve never seen before. Best of all, a healthier ecosystem means more insect predators, that means getting bitten by fewer mosquitoes and ticks and being visited by more bees, butterflies and birds. 

A future that blooms

Pollinators make the world bloom, but now it seems these tireless, selfless workers can’t survive without our help. We can’t guarantee these seven actions will save pollinators and heal our native biodiversity, but we can guarantee that each action will benefit the bees, butterflies and many other species that keep our world in bloom.

These actions are about helping pollinators, yes, but they are about far more than that too. When you plant native flowers in your yard, you’re creating a more colorful landscape, fostering biodiversity and building a connection to your local species and ecology. 

The natural world is a vast and intricate web of connections. From bees to beetles, sharks to seagulls, we’re all on this planet together. Let’s work together to make it the best we can for each and every one of us.