Rotary District 5890 Project "Operation Pollination"

District Governor HEATHER encourages all District 5890 clubs to help save our pollinators!

Operation Pollination is a simple 7th Area of Focus Environmental Framework with the "Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) — and growing Rotary “Movement “ –
that enables and encourages Rotarians to engage in pollinator protection and education projects.
 
 
 
Dr. Barry Thompson
Rotary District 5890 "Operation Pollination" Committee Chair
Dr. Barry’s “Pollination Services” classification in Rotary stems from his long relationship with honey bees since 1954.
"OPERATION POLLINATION" PROJECT  
A Collaborative Rotary Project
Rotary, Rotaract and Interact members are engaging partners to protect pollinators through Operation Pollination and the 60,000 tree challenge. In the video below, Rotary International President Jennifer Jones talks with Chris Stein of the Twin Cities Rotary EcoClub and Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group - ESRAG and David Eaton, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the Kansas City Southern Railway Company and member of the Monterrey Metropolitan Rotary Club, about their efforts to spread awareness of the importance of pollinators and restoring pollinator habitats.
 
The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) was started to empower members of the Rotary Family worldwide to take actions to sustain our environment, particularly to stabilize our climate.  ESRAG provides an organizing point and informational resources to share information with clubs and communities about sustainable practices and the global humanitarian crisis of climate change.
 
In June of 2020 the Rotary International Board of Directors and the The Rotary Foundation Trustees added “Supporting the Environment” as the 7th Area of Focus.  The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) provided both the documentation and the leadership in this effort, and is a partner in Operation Pollination, embracing the effort as an ESRAG Project.
 
Their action model:  Identify environmental leaders within the Rotary world, assist them in initiating environmental service projects that are meaningful to THEM, help where we can, and acknowledge and publicize their awesome work.
Links to learn more:
Click here to visit ESRAG's "Operation Pollinators" website

discover how your club can take action to protect pollinators 

 

 

There are four simple ways to protect pollinators:
Grow pollinator friendly flowers - Provide nest sites - Avoid pesticides - Spread the word
 
How can your club get involved? 
  • Talk to your club about starting an "Operation Pollination" community service project
  • Encourage your members to plant pollinator friendly flowers
  • Talk to your local garden club and organizations to see if they would partner with your club to create a "Pollinator Garden" in your community
  • Partner with other environmental organizations, school, etc.
  • It's a great project for District 5890 EarlyAct FirstKnight campuses, plus Interact and Rotaract clubs!
  • Participating Districts and Clubs have planted pollinator gardens, developed pollinator signs, and distributed seeds to others.  For project ideas, visit https://esrag.org/projects/
Click here to visit ESRAG's website for project ideas and more information about "Operation Pollinators"
 
Rotarians worldwide are inspiring and equipping their communities to create pollinator habitats to help save and protect pollinators by signing a simple, non-binding Pollinator Resolution to show their concern for the state of pollinators.
  • After signing the Resolution, sign a simple Pollinator Pledge that is serves as your club's call for action.
  • Projects you do are based on your capacity and capability.  No project is too big or too small. No judgment is ever made.
Here are a list of general resources:
Visit https://esrag.org/pollinators/ for more information.
"WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP POLLINATORS"  VIDEO WITH RI PAST PRESIDENT JENNIFER JONES 
Environmental Sustainable Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) co-founder Karen D. Kendrick-Hands and 2022-2023 Rotary International President Jennifer Jones discuss how individuals can make a global impact by taking action locally.
 

Why save our pollinators?

We MUST protect pollinators. They are essential to our food web, ensure biodiversity and provide irreplaceable ecosystem services.
Pollinators are essential for human food security, but their populations have fallen catastrophically under the combined assault of habitat loss, pesticides, and disease.
 
There is a critical importance of pollinator habitat both restored and maintained on public and private lands, particularly found within our geographic area. Through collaboration and outreach an interconnected mosaic of pollinator habitat will be developed to help restore and maintain populations of pollinator species throughout this region.

What are pollinators?

 
  • Pollinators include butterflies, bees, some birds, bats, wasps, ants and other insects that play a crucial role in flowering plant reproduction
  • Three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants and 35% of the world’s food crops depend on pollination to be successful
  • Given the breadth, severity, and persistence of pollinator losses it is critical to expand efforts to reverse these losses and restore populations to healthy levels
  • An Operation Pollination goal is to increase pollinator habitat throughout the world
  • The leadership and impact of Rotarians volunteering to improve communities is a hallmark of Rotary International
  • The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) supports the goals of Operation Pollination 
  • Working together, we can increase capacity to reach out to organizations and individuals throughout our region with information and education about pollinators and their need for protection

Questions about how your club can get involved?

Please contact: 
Rotary District 5890 "Operation Pollination" Committee Chair
Dr. Barry’s “Pollination Services” classification in Rotary stems from his long relationship (1954) with honey bees.