The Bees' Needs: Make Your Backyard a Sweet Spot

Backyards and urban landscapes can play a crucial support role for pollinators, especially when they contain the plants and other materials that provide food, habitat, and more for Oregon's diverse bee population. Hear the latest research findings from Oregon State University's Garden Ecology Lab, a team of people who study gardens and their “ability to promote environmental and human health.” They also share practical information and recommendations on how to increase the bee-friendly nature of the green spaces around you.

About the presenters: 

Nicole Bell is a graduate student pursuing a master's degree in Horticulture at Oregon State University. Nicole was first introduced to the world of pollinators as an undergraduate lab technician in the OSU Honeybee Lab and fell in love with native bees while completing an undergraduate thesis in the OSU Forest Animal Ecology Lab. She is interested in how gardens and urban greenspaces can provide both a refuge for wild bees and fulfill human needs.

Jen Hayes is a is a graduate student pursuing a PhD in Horticulture & Entomology. She fell in love with native bees as an undergraduate in the Ricketts Lab at the University of Vermont. Since her first exposure to bee research, she has had the opportunity work on pollinator studies in Vermont, Ecuador, North Dakota, and Oregon. She is exploring how human-developed landscapes, such as farms and gardens, can achieve dual goals of pollinator conservation and plant productivity.