We are thrilled to inform you that House Bill 24-1117—the bill that adds rare plants and invertebrates to the species that may be studied and conserved under Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW)—faced it's final vote in the legislature and passed the Colorado Senate late last month!
Once the bill is signed into law, CPW will be mandated not only to study Colorado's insects species, but also to conserve them. (Currently, insects are not considered wildlife in Colorado and are not under the purview of CPW or any other state agency.)
Granting CPW this authority was one of the key recommendations that came out of the Native Pollinating Insects Health Study, which PPAN championed and helped to pass in 2022.
The "Invertebrates & Rare Plants" bill is a huge win for Colorado's pollinators
as our state has one of the most biodiverse communities of pollinators on the planet with 40% of North American butterfly species; 10% of bumble bee species; and 5% of the global diversity of all bees!*
*source: CO Native Pollinating Insects Health Study
“As important as pollinators are, they have been under-researched and, in many ways, under-appreciated." ~Governor Jared Polis
It's also an enormous win for the thousands upon thousands of invertebrates, and the countless species of rare plants that reside in Colorado.
While insects are often underestimated (and under-appreciated) they play a vital role in keeping our ecosystems healthy and balanced by, among other ecological services: maintaining healthy soils, pollinating plants, and feeding baby birds!
Did you know?
96% of terrestrial birds feed their nestlings insects...and LOTS of them! For a pair of chickadees to rear one clutch, they must catch 6,240 to 9,210 caterpillars—yes, caterpillars are considered insects—which may include 17 different species of caterpillars!**
**source: Nature's Best Hope, Doug Tallamy