Best Practices for Pollinators Summit

2025 Summit Schedule (times and materials will be added soon)

Monday, March 3rd, 10 AM to 2:30 PM (Central Standard Time)

• Pollen Specialist Bees: Host Plants, Habitat, and Threats. Heather Holm, Pollinator Conservationist and Author.

• Conservation of Plant-Pollinator Interactions. Dr. Jeffrey Karron, Professor of Biological Sciences; Ecology, Evolution & Behavior Group at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

• How Habitat Restoration Fosters Cultural Revitalization. Ferin Davis Anderson, Natural Resources Manager, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Natural Resource Department.

• Powerhouse Plants for Establishment. Bre Bauerly, Ecological Consultant, Minnesota Native Landscapes.

• Cover Crops. Amanda Douridas, Educator, Natural Resources Department at Ohio State University.

• Thistle; To Leave or Not To Leave. Julianne Mason, Ecological Management Supervisor, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Illinois.

Tuesday, March 4th, 10 AM to 2 PM (Central Standard Time)

• “Working the Night Shift” Pollination After Dark. Emily May, Agricultural Conservation Lead, Pesticide Reduction Program, Xerces Society.

• Identifying and Caring for Oak Woodlands. Dan Carter, PhD, Ecologist, The Prairie Enthusiasts.

• Embracing Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Beavers to Buffalo. Dr. Jordan Kennedy, Outer Coast College in Sitka, Canada.

• Effects of Neonicotinoids on Wildlife. Dr. Jonathan Jenks, Retired Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Science, South Dakota State University.

• Effects of Neonic-Treated Seed. Dan Raichel, Director of Pollinators and Pesticide Initiative, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Wednesday, March 5th, 10 AM to 2 PM (Central Standard Time)

• Fire: Management and Pollinators. Lauren Ponisio, Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Oregon.

• Leveraging Community Interest to Drive Policy and Practice Around Pollinators. Steve Armstead, Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Xerces Society, Colorado.

• Fifty Years of Nongame Wildlife Conservation. Carrol Henderson, Wildlife Conservationist, Retired DNR Nongame Wildlife Program Supervisor, Author and Photographer.

• Residential Mosquito Treatment Effects. Aaron Anderson, Pesticide Specialist, Xerces Society.

• Pictures from a Restoration - The Wildlife of Prairie Haven. Marcie O’Connor, Landowner, Prairie Haven, Wisconsin.

Speakers bios:

Aaron Anderson works with the public and Xerces Society staff to reduce pesticide use in residential landscapes, including promoting alternative pest control measures and pollinator-friendly gardening practices. Prior to joining Xerces Society in 2022, he researched pollinator conservation in urban landscapes, restored habitat for several endangered butterfly species, and worked in insect biocontrol. In 2021. Aaron has a PhD from Oregon State University.

Ferin Davis Anderson, Supervisor of Environmental Sciences, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s Land and Natural Resources Department.
Ferin has worked with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community since 2016. She is also an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa/Ojibwe/Anishinaabe/Mitchifs in North Dakota. Ferin is responsible for stewarding and restoring natural areas for the SMSC. She works to weave traditional knowledge and western science to make more holistic management decisions. This includes using fire as an ecological and cultural tool to achieve beneficial and healing outcomes. Witnessing Indigenous people revitalize cultural practices as a result of ecological restoration has been one of the greatest gifts of her career.

Steve Armstead is a Pollinator Conservation Specialist for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation working in Colorado. His work focuses on efforts to coordinate, manage and create high quality, connected, climate-resilient pollinator habitat. Steve has been working with the City of Boulder on their pollinator conservation and nature-based climate initiatives, while also exploring ways to expand and leverage support for pollinator conservation and climate solution efforts throughout the region. He has over three decades of experience working in natural lands management, environmental planning, and community engagement. Steve holds a Master’s Degree in Museum and Field Studies from the University of Colorado – Boulder where he studied and surveyed butterflies and he’s remained an active butterfly enthusiast. Steve recently co-authored the Colorado Native Pollinating Insects Health Study for the Department of Natural Resources, leading Xerces’ assessment and development of best management practices.

Dan Carter, PhD, is staff Ecologist for The Prairie Enthusiasts, volunteer steward at the Mukwonago River Oak Barrens Waukesha County, WI, and is working to restore oak-pine barrens at a family property in Bayfield County, WI. Previously, Dan was responsible for natural area assessment and planning for the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, Rundblad Research Fellow with Milwaukee Public Museum studying remnant oak woodlands and savannas, and coordinator of a sagebrush-steppe restoration experiment for The Nature Conservancy in Oregon. Dan earned his doctorate in biology from Kansas State University, with research focused on the reconstruction of tallgrass prairie plant communities in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Dan has been active in ecological restoration and reconstruction, first with prairies, since the middle 1990s.

Amanda Douridas is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Madison County. Her on-farm research has focused on nutrient management, cover crops and adapting to changing weather patterns within cropping systems. She also serves as co-leader of the OSU Agronomic Crops Team and is a Certified Crop Adviser.

Carrol Henderson, Wildlife Conservationist, Author. SInce 1977 when he was first hired as the nongame wildlife program supervisor in the Minnesota DNR, Carrol Henderson has been recognized for his success in developing and implementing a statewide program for nongame wildlife including advocacy for peregrine falcons, trumpeter swans and pollinators. He has received national and international recognition because of the diverse accomplishments benefiting Minnesota’s wildlife. He retired from the DNR in 2018, but he has continued his conservation advocacy to reduce use of toxic lead in hunting ammo and fishing tackle.  During the past three years he has also been writing a book—a historical account of his 44-year career in wildlife conservation with the Minnesota DNR. Carrol will be sharing some highlights to be included in the new book at the upcoming Best Practices Summit. Carrol’s “Workbook for a Career in Wildlife Management and Natural Resource Conservation” is a must have for all conservationists.

Heather Holm, Biologist, Pollinator Conservationist and Author. contact@pollinatorsnativeplants.com
Pollinator conservationist and award-winning author of four books: Pollinators of Native Plants (2014), Bees (2017), Wasps (2021), and Common Native Bees of the Eastern United States (2022). Both Bees and Wasps have won multiple book awards including the American Horticultural Society Book Award (2018 and 2022 respectively). Heather’s expertise includes the interactions between native pollinators and native plants, and the natural history and biology of native bees and predatory wasps. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune, and many local publications. Heather is also an accomplished photographer and her pollinator photos. Heather is a National Honorary Director of Wild Ones. She also serves on the boards of the following non-profits: Friends of Cullen Nature Preserve and Bird Sanctuary and Friends of Minnetonka Parks. In her spare time, she is an active community supporter, writing grants, and coordinating and participating in volunteer ecological landscape restoration projects. The latest project is a 13-acre oak savanna restoration that will provide thriving habitat for pollinators, birds, mammals, and passive, nature-based opportunities for people. ​ More information is online at pollinatorsnativeplants.com

Dr. Jonathan A. Jenks, Biologist, Ecologist, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Science. I grew up on a dairy farm in Massachusetts and obtained my B.S. in Wildlife from Unity College in Maine in 1984.  I obtained an M.S. in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine in 1986 and Ph.D. in Wildlife and Fisheries Ecology from Oklahoma State University in 1991.  Both my Master’s and Ph.D. research projects involved assessing nutritional condition of captive and free-ranging white-tailed deer.  I began my career at South Dakota State University as an Assistant Professor of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences in 1991.  While at South Dakota State I was promoted to Associate Professor (1996), Full Professor (2001), and Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Science (2006); I was also appointed as a Fellow of The Wildlife Society (2006).  My research interests include ungulate ecology, predator-prey relationships, population dynamics, and landscape ecology.  Since arriving in South Dakota, I was involved with research projects involving white-tailed and mule deer in the Black Hills, Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Missouri River Breaks, southern Minnesota, and North Dakota as well as projects on coyotes and red fox in western South Dakota, swift fox in southwestern South Dakota, mountain lions and American marten in the Black Hills, Canada geese in eastern South Dakota, antelope in western South Dakota, and small mammals, elk, and antelope in Wind Cave National Park.  I also served as Principal Investigator of the South Dakota Gap Analysis Project and conducted captive research on white-tailed deer and bighorn sheep at SDSU.  I joined the North Dakota Natural Science Society in 1996.  I retired from SDSU in 2001 and was appointed Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Science.  I have continued my involvement in white-tailed deer and bighorn research post-retirement.     

 Jeff Karron is a Professor of Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  He is internationally known for his research on plant-pollinator interactions, bumble bee behavior, and the conservation of endangered plants.  He has published 48 scientific papers and has organized two international conferences on pollination ecology.  For more information about his research, please visit his website:  www.karronlab.com   Jeff recently produced a highly regarded nature documentary highlighting the ecology of bumble bees and native plants in a tallgrass prairie  https://youtu.be/fQsnPAWQqcI. Dr. Karron completed a B.A. cum laude, Biology, Princeton University, and Ph.D., Biology, University of Colorado.

Dr. Jordan Kennedy is an interdisciplinary quantitative researcher and engineer who specializes in ecological dynamics and animal behavior. With a foundation in mechanical engineering and extensive training in cognitive biology, ecology, and land management, Jordan integrates insights from materials science, mechanical engineering, and ecological studies to address complex systems. She is experienced in field research, laboratory experimentation, and data analysis, including GIS, machine learning, and photogrammetry. Her work often explores biomimicry, Indigenous technology, and the interface between engineering and animal engineering. Jordan brings a transdisciplinary perspective to her projects. In addition to her scientific work, Jordan is a science storyteller who communicates through blogs, invited talks, and social media to engage diverse audiences. She recently launched Buffalo Stone, a research consultancy LLC, and is actively contributing to discussions on sustainable engineering, ecological restoration, and climate resilience.

Julianne Mason is the Ecological Management Supervisor for the Forest Preserve District of Will County in Illinois.  She has been doing prairie restorations and natural areas management in the Chicago region for the past 25 years.  She has a BA in Biology from Earlham College in Indiana, and a MS in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  She has led the restoration of ~2,500 acres of row crop agricultural fields to native prairie and wetland habitats, and oversees ecological management within the 23,000-acre preserve system.  Outside of natural areas, she enjoys yoga, sudoku, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Emily May is the Agricultural Conservation Lead in the Xerces Society's Pesticide Program. She received a master's of science in entomology from Michigan State University. Her work with Xerces since 2015 has focused on supporting pollinators with habitat creation and protecting bees and other beneficial insects from pesticides. She works with growers, agencies, and conservation partners to advance sustainable agricultural practices and policy.

Marcie O’Connor, with her husband Mike, is the owner of Prairie Haven, a 485 acre prairie and savanna restoration on a former dairy farm in western Wisconsin.  Marcie grew up in Chicago and got a BA in Biology from Grinnell College with a particular interest in native plants and habitat restoration.   In 2000, they started working on restoring Prairie Haven.  Marcie also maintains a website about the project and writes monthly blog posts about their adventures and the plants and animals they see. https://www.prairiehaven.com

Lauren Ponisio is an associate professor at the University of Oregon, Department of Biology. She earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MS from Stanford University. Ponisio studies bees and their roles as pollinators in managed and natural communities. She’s currently leading a study that could change how forestlands in the Northwest are managed, particularly post-harvest and post-fire, to benefit wild bees. Her research has examined ways to persuade California almond growers to adopt more bee-friendly agricultural practices, discovered how native bee species may be best equipped to survive intensive agricultural practices and climate change and analyzed how forest fires can help maintain pollinator biodiversity.

Dan Raichel is Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) Pollinators and Pesticides initiative, which focuses on protecting our nation’s bee populations from the ever-growing threats to their health and existence—in particular, the use of bee-toxic pesticides.  Raichel was formerly co-director of NRDC’s Community Fracking Defense Project and an advocate for the cleanup of industrial pollution.

Laurie Schneider, Executive Director, Pollinator Friendly Alliance. laurie@pollinatorfriendly.org
Laurie learned conservation tactics from her father who founded the Save the River campaign to protect trout and their native streams and rivers in Wisconsin. She holds an MFA in art from the University of Minnesota and ran a busy photography studio for 30 years, all while continuing to do conservation and animal rescue work. In 2015-2018, she was a Research Supervisor for multiple studies on pesticide effects on pollinators at the University of Minnesota. She founded Pollinator Friendly Alliance in 2014 and grew it into the dynamic regional non-profit it is today, with work that focuses on protections for pollinators, increasing biodiversity, reducing pesticide use and conservation education.

Recorded presentations from past summits are available to view on two websites:

• Pollinator Friendly Alliance: Webinars and Videos

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGHXSsYI7l-X3Dcb6a5ABJqMifefg5irc