Charitable Organization: Pollinator Partnership

Our Charitable Organization series highlights the work done by the nonprofits BeCause Tees supports. Next in our series is Pollinator Partnership.

Who Are Pollinator Partnership?

Pollinator Partnership describes themselves as the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated exclusively to the health of pollinating animals. For 25 years, they’ve provided conservation efforts and used research, education, and collaboration to champion the importance of pollinators.

Their Mission

“To promote the health of pollinators, critical to food and ecosystems, through conservation, education, and research.”

Why Do We Need to Protect Pollinators?

Bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators are responsible for helping us to produce an estimated 1 out of every 3 bites of food we eat. Around 1,000 plants grown for food, drinks, spices, and medicines must be pollinated by animals. They also help to sustain our ecosystems and help plants to reproduce – 85% of flowering plants need help from pollinators to reproduce. They help to reverse the effects of climate change. They also add an estimated $217 billion each year to the global economy.

Pollinators are critical to the health of our planet and without them, our food supply, and surrounding landscapes, would collapse.

Find out more about the 8 most common pollinators and why we need them.

Why Are Pollinators in Trouble?

Pollinators are in real trouble largely because of loss of habitat. 175 acres of farmland and habitat (1.5 million acres) are lost every hour. Other causes are chemical misuse, invasive plant and animal species, and diseases and parasites.

There’s been a lack of research into the issues affecting pollinators, which has meant a lack of knowledge on their status. The EU has invested over $20 million to investigate pollinators in Europe, due to their concerns.

The migratory monarch butterfly has now been classed as endangered - another concern for the survival of pollinating animals.

What Work Do Pollinator Partnership Undertake?

Signature Initiatives

Their signature initiatives include the NAPPC (North American Pollinator Protection Campaign), National Pollinator Week (next due to take place June 19-25, 2023), and Ecoregional Native Planting Guides for Pollinators.

Building Habitats

Their Bee Friendly Farming program has certified 130,000 acres of habitat in one year, which has resulted in over 60,000 acres of pollinator habitat in critical agricultural landscapes.

Conducting Research

In addition to conducting first hand research, such as working in key crop production states to study the impacts of conservation, they’ve also funded more than 30 research grants for honey bee health.

Education and Outreach

They aim to spread awareness of the importance of protecting pollinators and provide guidance on how to do this by methods such as:

• Fact sheets, guides, brochures, and posters
• The BeeSmart School Garden Kit for students in grades 3-6
• The BeeSmart Gardener App

How Can You Help Pollinators?

1. Plant for pollinators. Pollinator Partnership has free Ecoregional Planting Guides you can download.
2. Eliminate the use of pesticides as much as possible.
3. Reduce your carbon footprint and shop sustainably. BeCause Tees aims to be as sustainable as possible, plus trees are planted with every purchase at BecauseTees.com via Eden Reforestation Projects.
4. Support local beekeepers by buying local honey.
5. Spread the word about the importance of saving pollinators (our decals are a great way to do this!).
6. Support organizations that help the pollinators. Pollinator Partnership is one of the nonprofits that we donate to at BeCause Tees.

Protecting pollinators is critical to the health of our planet and we're very proud to support the work that Pollinator Partnership undertakes through providing donations to this worthwhile cause. Read more about how you can help the pollinators and why it's so important. Help to protect our pollinators - shop now.