The Van Buren Conservation District hosted its first Backyard Symposium in March 2021 to help folks further transform yards into a haven with the environment in mind.

Pollinators provide us with valuable services by pollinating the plants that contribute to food production, maintain ecosystem function, and beautify our surroundings. Unfortunately, in modern urban and suburban landscapes, the amount of habitat where pollinators can nest and find food is quite limited. Learn how you can help by providing food and habitat for diverse groups of native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators in your yard and garden.

Important links:
-General pollinator info
Pollinator Partnership: https://www.pollinator.org
MI Pollinator Initiative: https://pollinators.msu.edu
Michigan Natural Features Inventory: https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu
Gardening in Michigan: https://www.canr.msu.edu/home_gardening/
Enviroweather: https://www.enviroweather.msu.edu

-Citizen Science
Bumble bee watch: https://www.bumblebeewatch.org
iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org
Queen Quest: https://www.queenquest.org

Article on Michigan butterflies and their historical flight dates in Michigan:
Perkins, Owen A. 2007. "Using Degree-Day Methodology to Ascertain Early Flight Periods of Michigan Butterflies and Skippers," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 40 (2)
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol40/...