DESCRIPTION: Concerns about pollinator health have dominated discussions in agriculture and horticulture alike for many years now. While we do have a better handle on the maladies that our pollinators suffer from, we are still grappling with the political fallout surrounding insecticide use, specifically those in the neonicotinoid class. Politicians seek to ban or significantly restrict their use, regulators at the EPA don’t fully understand how lawn and landscape professionals use these products and how beneficial they are to a thoughtful and environmentally sound approach to landscape management. The advent of Best Management Practices (BMP’s) in horticulture provides professionals a tool to use in conjunction with integrated pest management to care for turfgrass and ornamentals in a more holistic manner. BMP’s can also be crafted to focus on individual aspects of horticulture, such as pollinator protection. In this talk, NALP’s Bob Mann, a long time member of the professional lawn care community, discusses pollinator protection and how lawn and landscape professionals can make a big difference in how they approach caring for their customer’s properties.
