VIDEOS & WEBINARS

From sustaining desert ecosystems to supporting agricultural economies, bats are essential pollinators and pest managers. Yet, their contributions are often overlooked, and many species face growing threats. Join PPAN for a webinar with Dr. Kristen Lear, Director of Bat Conservation International’s (BCI) Agave Restoration Initiative. Dr. Lear will highlight the ways bats support biodiversity and human well-being, share updates on BCI’s conservation work, and offer practical steps we can take to help bats thrive, including how to make our own communities and backyards more bat-friendly. -- Meet Dr Lear: As a bat conservationist, Dr. Kristen Lear, PhD seeks to develop practical, equitable, and meaningful solutions to bat conservation challenges through collaborative research, partnership with local communities, and public engagement and outreach. In 2020, she completed her PhD in Integrative Conservation at the University of Georgia focusing on the conservation of endangered pollinating bats in northeast Mexico. Now, she's Bat Conservation International's Agave Restoration Program Director, and leads the organization's bi-national Agave Restoration Initiative to restore and enhance habitat for endangered pollinating bats and support community livelihoods in the US Southwest and Mexico.

Organic Turf Presentation by Chip Osborne of Osborn Organics! Learn more about Osborne Organics here: https://osborneorganics.com/about-chip-osborne-jr/

School’s back in session, which is a great time to talk about how we can make schoolyards safer and healthier for both kids and pollinators. Join us for a conversation with advocates, educators, and movement-builders who are working to reduce pesticide use in and around schools, empower kids to be pollinator protectors, and build a stronger statewide effort for change. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, student, school administrator, or someone who simply cares about healthy environments, you’ll walk away with ideas, inspiration, and ways to get involved.

Join PPAN for a webinar that's all about grasshoppers and crickets! You might be repelled by grasshoppers or Mormon crickets, but can you take a moment to learn about their surprising ecological value within western ecosystems? Sharon Selvaggio with the Xerces Society will discuss what’s problematic with the large programs to stamp down these native insects, the threats insecticides pose to pollinators and other beneficial bugs, and solutions across landscapes and for the home garden. Li Murphy with the Yale School of the Environment will discuss her ongoing research into human and Mormon cricket interactions in Nevada and other western states.

Join PPAN to discover how community science supports biodiversity and pollinators. PPAN Board Member and DU professor Dr. Julie Morris will provide some advice on how to use iNaturalist, a free app that empowers anyone to observe, document, and contribute to biodiversity research. Julie will also share stories from her classes on how students have used iNaturalist to learn more about their local environments. This session will give you practical tools to get started and ideas for engaging in community science in your own work or backyard. Donate to PPAN here! https://www.peopleandpollinators.org/support-our-work

When we think of pollinators, bees and butterflies usually come to mind—but there's a whole other crew that works the night shift. Moths, bats, beetles, and other nighttime pollinators play a huge role in keeping ecosystems healthy. Unfortunately, light pollution is making their jobs a lot harder. Check out PPAN's May 2025 webinar with Richard O'Brien of DarkSky Colorado to learn how artificial light at night impacts pollinators—and what we can do to help. We’ll talk about why this matters, what’s happening here in Colorado, and simple steps we can all take to make a difference. Donate to PPAN here! peopleandpollinators.org/support-our-work

Ecosystems are full of complex, layered interactions - even ecosystems like our gardens! Reptiles and amphibians are an often overlooked piece of local ecosystems, but (just like pollinators) they play a critical role in keeping habitats healthy. Join PPAN and Cameron Young from My Nature Lab for a discussion of what makes these creatures unique, how they positively impact our local ecosystems, and how you can help them survive and thrive!

Permaculture is a design methodology that works with nature to create resilient systems, from gardens and farms to entire communities. In this webinar, Amy Scanes-Wolfe will explore how native plants fit into the permaculture framework. What does it really mean for a plant to be “native”? Which native plants play key roles in forest gardens and other diverse plantings? And which native plants can also be tasty, useful food crops? Please consider donating to PPAN here: https://www.peopleandpollinators.org/support-our-work Get your Protect Our Pollinators license plate here: https://www.peopleandpollinators.org/co-pollinator-license-plate

Discovering native bee diversity with expert speaker Ryan Bartlett of Colorado Native Bee.