Join the People and Pollinators Action Network to help with pollinator protection, community development, environmental policy, sustainable agriculture, and habitat management. 10th Annual Bumble Bee Bash Ticket Sales Are Live! Join us on September 19th at The Old Elm for the sweetest event of the year! Auction is live! BUY TICKETS OR DONATE VIEW OUR RECENT SUCCESSES » PLEDGE to Be Pesticide-Free Sign the Pollinator-Safe Properties Pledge Add your home, business, school, place of worship, community garden, or farm, to a map of safe havens for people, birds, pets, and pollinators. The map provides anonymized research data and inspires neighbors to join you. SIGN THE PLEDGE PROTECT Pollinators License Plate Every plate creates new habitat and grows this movement! Support pollinators everywhere you go by ordering Protect Pollinator specialty plates for your car or motorcycle. Plate donations fund PPAN's statewide Habitat Grants Program. ORDER PLATES PLANT a Habitat Garden Restore biodiversity, feed the bees, and enjoy the flowers! Whether you're 'Coloradoscaping' with all native plants, adding floral forage to your vegetable garden, or planting prairie strips on your farm, every single plant counts! Get involved in habitat gardening today! LEARN MORE RECENT POLLINATOR NEWS: Meet the Pollinators You've Been Swatting Away Webinar When we talk about pollinators, bees and butterflies typically come to mind– but they're far from the whole story. Join PPAN and the Butterfly Pavilion for a closer look at one of nature's most under appreciated pollinators: flies! Across gardens, farms, and wild edges, flies are moving pollen; and in higher elevations, they are some of our most important pollinators. In this webinar, you'll explore the ecology and life history of the order Diptera, their role in pollination Planting Party for Pollinators Hey Neighbor, a 2025 Habitat Fund Grantee, is 5 planting parties in, and the Stratton Meadows neighborhood is starting to transform into an edible, beautiful, and water-wise oasis. On May 30th, 20 volunteers, including Hey Neighbor staff, Stratton Meadows neighbors, Colorado College students, and Fountain Creek Watershed staff spent six hours transforming the front yard of neighbor Joel Adams. Together, they planted 60 shrubs and perennials, including fruit trees, berry bushe Understanding and Protecting Fireflies in Colorado with Dr. Orit Peleg In this webinar with CU Boulder's Dr. Orit Peleg of The Peleg Lab, we dive into the fascinating world of fireflies—their biology, their language of light, the threats putting them at risk, and how to protect them at home and in your community. Business Sponsor Spotlight: The Apiarian Home The Apiarian Home is a beeswax fragrance and apitherapy business based in Fort Collins. Their five fragrances are inspired by the intelligence of a honeybee colony. Each scent is drawn from a role and place within the colony. Like the hive itself, they are designed to collectively support your daily rhythms and rituals. Together, they form a holistic collection to bring the essence of nature into your home. Buy some of Apiarian Home products! A portion of every sale goes dir Happy Colorado Pollinator Month! Governor Polis has designated June as Colorado Pollinator Month to celebrate and raise awareness about the important roles that pollinators play in preserving biodiversity; agricultural productivity; and in sustaining the health of ourselves and our ecosystems! Join us in June each year for educational programs, community events, and conservation efforts throughout the state! AND, bring a friend to help spread awareness about how to ensure the health of these essential specie Mosquito Control: Science, Risks, and Solutions Webinar With a flier in the mail or a door-to-door sales visit, you’ll notice many mosquito control companies offering to spray your yard this time of year. Though this may seem like a quick and easy way to deal with mosquitoes, it’s often an ineffective control strategy. Worse, these insecticides are toxic to pollinators and other beneficial insects and may pose a risk to people, too. Check out the webinar recording below to learn about the risks residential mosquito sprays pose to POLLINATOR GARDENS GALLERY Share your pollinator gardens with us! Take pictures of your gardens and send them to us and we may add them here to share with the world!

Thanks for signing the Pollinator Pledge and helping save our pollinators! We will be adding you to our Pollinator Pledge Map in about 24 hours. VIEW THE MAP » Find lists of suitable plants to support pollinators at the Colorado Native Plant Society or at XERCES Society's websites below: Colorado Native Plant Society XERCES.org POLLINATOR SAFE TIPS » Here is a printable Certificate you can print and sign and share:

UPCOMING EVENTS VIEW ON CALENDAR » Multiple Dates Metro Denver PPAN Chapter Meeting: Bumble Bee Atlas Training Wed, Sep 09 Washington Park More info Learn More Multiple Dates Northern Colorado PPAN Chapter Meeting Wed, Sep 09 https://forms.gle/hS6eJ5sZdVsmYK5X8 More info Learn more Multiple Dates SoCoPPAN Chapter Meeting Thu, Sep 10 Zoom More info Learn More High Plains Environmental Center: Wild Zone Sat, Sep 12 Chapungu Sculpture Park at Centerra More info Learn More Harlequin's Gardens: Fall Pruning Sun, Sep 13 Harlequin's Gardens More info Learn More Healthy Schoolyards Initiative Webinar Wed, Sep 16 Webinar More info Learn More Denver Native Plant Sale Sat, Sep 19 455 Lafayette St More info Learn More PPAN's 10th Annual Bumble Bee Bash! 🐝 Sat, Sep 19 The Old Elm More info Learn More Harlequin's Gardens: Low Tech Greenhouses Sun, Sep 20 Harlequin's Gardens More info Learn More Multiple Dates Creek Week 2026! Sat, Sep 26 Colorado Springs More info Learn More Multiple Dates Creek Week 2026! Sun, Sep 27 Colorado Springs More info Learn More Multiple Dates Creek Week 2026! Mon, Sep 28 Colorado Springs More info Learn More Multiple Dates Creek Week 2026! Tue, Sep 29 Colorado Springs More info Learn More Multiple Dates Creek Week 2026! Wed, Sep 30 Colorado Springs More info Learn More Multiple Dates Creek Week 2026! Thu, Oct 01 Colorado Springs More info Learn More Multiple Dates Creek Week 2026! Fri, Oct 02 Colorado Springs More info Learn More Multiple Dates Creek Week 2026! Sat, Oct 03 Colorado Springs More info Learn More Denver's Washington Park Bio Blitz Sat, Oct 03 Washington Park Mount Vernon Garden More info Learn More Load More EVENT CALENDAR August 2026 Today Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 10:00 AM Metro Denver PPAN Chapter Meeting +1 more 13 4:00 PM SoCoPPAN Chapter Meeting 14 Day (1/3) Field of Vision II Music Festival 15 Day (2/3) Field of Vision II Music Festival +1 more 16 Day (3/3) Field of Vision II Music Festival 17 18 19 8:30 AM Denver's Washington Park Big Garden Bioblitz +1 more 20 21 22 10:00 AM Harlequin's Gardens: Seed Saving 101 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5

The People and Pollinators Action Network’s staff and members work closely to forge strategic wins for people, pollinators, and the state of Colorado. OUR APPROACH HOW WE WORK FOR POLLINATORS Outreach & Education PPAN mobilizes communities in Colorado to take positive action for pollinators. We offer webinars, workshops, events, and presentations that engage with current pollinator issues and the steps we can take to protect both pollinator populations and human health. Our outreach efforts aim to address negative stereotypes and connotations surrounding insects and other pollinator species, to drive home the significance of pollinators to both our ecosystems and daily lives, and to inspire collective action for pollinator conservation. We have recruited over 2,300 individuals and businesses to take our pollinator pledge to use pollinator-safe practices on their properties, and continue to grow our passionate constituent and volunteer base. Public Policy PPAN works with both local and state governmental agencies and elected officials to encourage pollinator friendly policies in land and facility management. We have been instrumental in passing municipal, county, and state resolutions to: (1) encourage the conservation of and transition to healthy pollinator habitat, (2) reduce the use of pesticides, and (3) engage the public to develop a better understanding of the importance of pollinators. Collaboration PPAN works collaboratively with a number of like-minded organizations doing similar work in Colorado to be as effective and efficient as possible. Some of our current partners include the Sierra Club state chapter, Colorado State Beekeepers Association, Audubon Rockies, Denver Audubon, CO Native Plant Society, CO Wildlife Federation, Front Range Wild Ones, and Clean Label Project, to name a few. See our "Coalitions" page for more information about our roles in a number of local and statewide groups promoting pollinator conservation and the safeguarding of public health. In addition, we work with a number of cities to provide volunteer support for organically-managed public parks and the maintenance of native plant beds. Activities Beyond events, partnerships, and educational opportunities, PPAN is also growing a number of exciting projects, ranging from native habitat work to upcoming media campaigns. Stay tuned for more info and ways to get involved! VIEW OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS GET INVOLVED

COLORADO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COALITION PARTNERS For more information on a partner organization, click the organization's logo. 1/1

We can only change the trajectory for pollinators (and our planet!) by making sure that people are aware of their importance and how we can protect them. EDUCATION AND COLLABORATION EDUCATION We can only change the trajectory for pollinators (and our planet!) by making sure that people are aware of their importance and how we can protect them. It can be a complicated issue, but by working together we can find solutions that will help ensure that pollinators have safe and healthy habitat to keep our ecosystems and our agricultural systems working well. People and Pollinators Action Network engages in education through speaking at events, tabling and participation at conferences. PPAN volunteers visit classrooms, neighborhood associations, agricultural organizations, HOA’s, colleges, businesses, local governments and more to talk about ways to work together to protect pollinators. CONTACT US TO PARTNER COLLABORATION We also work collaboratively with other organizations doing similar work to be as effective and efficient as possible. In 2016, PPAN co-sponsored the first Colorado Pollinator Summit with partners from the Butterfly Pavilion , Colorado Beekeepers Association , the Bees Waggle and other groups. That first summit was attended by over 150 people representing over 80 organizations and agencies across the state. In 2017, we co-sponsored the second Summit at the Denver Botanic Gardens hosting Scott Hoffman Black from the Xerces Society as one of our keynote speakers. From these two summits, over a dozen organizations have joined together to create the Colorado Pollinator Network. PPAN is proud to be a partner in the Network which will continue to organize the Colorado Pollinator Summit and take on other collaborative projects. The Colorado Pollinator Summit is a powerful tool for achieving big gains for people and pollinators. Uniting participants around overlapping goals and visions, the Summit harnesses the power of working together and builds capacity for information and resource sharing. COLLABORATE WITH US MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR YARD! SIGN THE POLLINATOR-SAFE PLEDGE

We can only change the trajectory for pollinators (and our planet!) by making sure that people are aware of their importance and how we can protect them. RESOURCES FOR THE SEED & BEE SEED SWAP AND GIVEAWAY RESOURCES Colorado Native Seed Starting Guide Germination Information for Seeds Native Perennial Bloom Season Easy-to-grow Xeric Plants for Pollinators Bee Basics How to Make Bee Houses Bee Block Recipe Other Pollinator Resources

VOLUNTEER IN GOLDEN PARKS Volunteer to support no-spray community spaces! Did you know that Golden opened its first of three pesticide-free neighborhood parks in 2022 ? DeLong Park, at 395 23rd St. (3 blocks NE of our Natural Grocers), is an organic pilot park . This means that it is an experiment in a non-toxic management style by the City of Golden Parks Department. We consider this a very positive step, and are grateful that the parks director agreed to attempt this project. (The city of Boulder has been managing their parks without pesticides since the 1990’s so this is very feasible!) However, a big difference between Boulder and Golden is that Boulder has a robust volunteer program which they depend on to manage weeds in their parks. We are hoping to recruit some of you to assist with volunteer weed duty to make this park a success ! If we succeed as a community in managing this pilot park without pesticides we can look forward to more organically managed parks in Golden, so we hope that you will take this opportunity to connect with your fellow local PPAN members to build a strong network to make Golden a healthier place for people and pollinators! If you are interested in volunteering, please submit THIS FORM to help us track participation, and COMPLETE THIS WAIVER to bring with you on volunteer days. We can't wait to see you out there! JOIN THE GOLDEN VOLUNTEER CREW DeLong Park will host drop-in volunteers every Tuesday morning starting at 10am this Spring and 8am this Summer. The best way to stay ahead of weekly plans is to join the email list: protectinggolden@gmail.com Help us turn this pilot park into a permanent one! Keep our communities and pollinators safe from pesticides!

Sign the pollinator pledge with People and Pollinators and show up on our Pollinator Map! How to become a Pollinator Safe Property » Scroll to pledge map We also encourage you to download a copy of the pledge above and send copies to your friends and family! Interested in volunteering with us as well? Click here! POLLINATOR SAFE PLEDGE MAP See everyone who has signed the Pollinator Safe Property Pledge: These pins represent properties that are planting pollinator safe plants and will not use pesticides. map

Join these Colorado chapters of the People and Pollinators Action Network group and make a difference in your neighborhood. OPEN POSITIONS

There are many factors contributing to our concern for pollinators as well as for people. Join us to help preserve biodiversity! Everyone can make a difference. KEY PROBLEMS Why are we concerned and need to take action? There are many factors contributing to our concern for pollinators as well as for people. Most of the challenges for the health of pollinators also affect people and in fact, the potential decline of pollinators has direct consequences for human survival as well. Let’s first start with - what are pollinators? They are a broad set of species – mostly insects, but also birds, bats and other species – that are responsible for a great deal of plant reproduction. Many plant species require an external organism to move pollen from the male part of the plant to the female part to reproduce. This organism is often an insect that feeds on the pollen and, in the process, moves some of that pollen around, enabling the plant to reproduce. The most well-known and iconic species that perform this service for plants are the honey bee and various butterflies, especially the monarch. However, there are thousands of native bees, many hundreds of species of butterflies and many other insects and birds that also do this both in our agricultural production and in our natural ecosystems. Honey bees are typically managed in hives by people and in the U.S., and are an introduced species from Europe. The other species are typically less social and nest in various types of locations and are not usually managed by people. Often this distinction between their “lifestyles” is framed as managed pollinators that can be thought of as more similar to livestock versus native ones that are wild. With that basic introduction, what are we worried about? Biodiversity on our Planet Biodiversity is key to healthy ecosystems on our planet. When we talk about biodiversity, we’re talking about having enough varied species of living beings: from the tiniest cellular organisms to insects to plants, birds, mammals and humans. We rely on this diversity to make a healthy and interconnected web of species. We need this diversity for ecosystem health as well human health, yet it is often threatened by multiple factors: Monocultures – think about big green lawns with no flowers or big agricultural systems that have one crop covering thousands of acres and only blooms for a short period of time or in some cases not permitted to bloom at all. Read more about monocultures » Habitat loss – when we develop areas for human habitation, agriculture or for large business needs, that habitat is not available for the species that used to live there. Food sources disappear and these species cannot find enough to eat. Pesticide misuse, overuse and unnecessary use – when we eliminate species that we consider pests, we reduce biodiversity. This is tricky since insect pests or invasive weeds can negatively affect agriculture, yet when we use pesticides to address the issue, we may be eliminating desirable species as well. And those “bad” species are generally food for something out there as well. Pesticide overuse can apply to agricultural practices, to homeowner usage, or to public lands management. Climate change – Our climate is changing. Temperatures are rising, ice caps are melting. These temperature changes impact available food sources for many pollinators and the ability of species to live in certain areas. For instance, if plants bloom earlier in the year due to warmer climates and insect pollinators have not yet emerged from their winter nests it leads to a mismatch in available ecological services. BIODIVERSITY All of these pressures on pollinator species can combine to have implications for their health. Pesticides can affect neurological functioning and their ability to navigate. Not enough food can make them weak and lessen their immune response. With respect to honeybees especially, pests such as varroa mites and the diseases they can carry are more likely to run rampant when immune systems are compromised and colonies are weak. All of these species might be able to withstand one of these pressures, but together, it is a critical time for their health. FOOD PROUCTION How do we address this potentially devastating combination of challenges, in the context of our current society, to protect both pollinator and human health? Our Food Production Systems Our agricultural systems have changed a great deal in the past 50 plus years. Where we used to have a significant number of smaller family farms with crop diversity, we often have large-scale industrial agriculture. While this may be a more efficient way to farm, it isn’t necessarily best for the environment nor does is necessarily provide increased yields or healthier food. Pesticide use has also increased dramatically. This includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and rodenticides. While pesticides are often considered essential to farming, the results can cause environmental damage. A relatively new class of insecticides are the neonicotinoids. These are systemic pesticides that can cause an entire plant to have the pesticide within it – leaves, pollen, etc. While the pesticide is intended for certain species, it does not necessarily discriminate and increasingly, studies show that there are both direct and long-term unintended consequences for non-target species such as bees, butterflies and birds. Herbicide use has increased, especially with the prevalence of GMO crops that are “roundup ready”. For example, more than 90% of corn grown in the US is genetically modified in this way. This allows farmers to eliminate weeds with broad spraying practices because the crops are not susceptible to the herbicide application. Unfortunately, some weeds are developing resistance and more critically, new scientific studies are showing that ingestion of herbicides can have a negative effect on pollinators as well. Millions of acres in the U.S. are covered with crops that are planted with seeds coated with neonicotinoids. These seeds make the entire plant potentially poisonous. However, these coated seeds are not regulated by the E.P.A as a pesticide. This is true for corn, soybeans and many other large monoculture crop production. All of these crops are widely used in our food systems and for animal feed so the pesticides are an integral part of our human food intake. Another big issue is the lack of scientific research on so called tank mixes. This applies to both agricultural applications where multiple chemicals are mixed together to make it more efficient to apply – for example, a tank mix with a fungicide, insecticide and herbicide all in one application. Chemical mixes are also widely available over the counter in home use products such as many all in one type yard care solutions. Most research is done on single chemicals, not on how these chemicals react when mixed together and create a synergistic result. Our food production systems are dominated by industrial agriculture and the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers and monocultures which many believe we cannot live without. We have also changed our overall ecosystems with various practices so that insect pests and invasive and noxious weeds can get out of control. How do we find balance and pull back from these environmentally destructive practices while also maintaining food production? A GOOD READ... Human Health: Kids and Pesticides DOWNLOAD PDF »

Senator Steve Fenberg recently introduced our bill to restore control to local governments in regards to the use and application of pesticides. This bill empowers communities to respond in a timely manner to pesticide-related risks to public health or to the environment. PESTICIDE PREEMPTION REPEAL BILL PESTICIDE PREEMPTION REPEAL BILL Senator Steve Fenberg recently introduced our bill to restore control to local governments in regards to the use and application of pesticides. This bill empowers communities to respond in a timely manner to pesticide-related risks to public health or to the environment. Read the bill below: