Best Practices for Pollinators Summit

Best Practices for Pollinators Summit 2024

Learn ecologically sound land practices that promote pollinators, climate resilience, clean waters and lands. Practical knowledge and innovation on pesticide reduction, habitat installation, fostering soil health, pollinator biology, pollinator conservation and more. Co-hosts: Pollinator Friendly Alliance and The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Thanks to our sponsor partners: MNL | Ciranda | Natural Shore | Jonathan Kvasnik ChFC BankCherokee | TheTickSuit

Summit Schedule & Materials

Tuesday, February 27 (Central Standard Time)

Speakers in alpha order:

Rella Abernathy, Ph.D., Senior Ecologist at City of Boulder Colorado, Climate Initiatives Department. AbernathyR@bouldercolorado.gov
Rella Abernathy is a senior ecologist for the Climate Initiatives Department’s Nature-Based Climate Solutions team at the City of Boulder, Colorado. Rella’s academic background is in insect physiology and plant/insect interactions. She worked at the EPA Region 10 pesticide program on pesticide alternatives and pesticide reduction policy with an interdisciplinary team who developed sustainable agricultural pilot projects with communities in eastern Washington. Over the last 15 years, she’s managed the City of Boulder’s Integrated Pest Management program that is centered on an ecosystems management approach, and she created a pesticide assessment process that considers impacts to ecosystem function and stability. Rella’s current focus is developing programs and policies that build and expand climate-resilient landscapes in partnership with researchers, community members, NGO’s, and others to equitably and inclusively implement nature based climate solutions that conserve biodiversity and protect human health. 

Jo Ann Baumgartner, Executive Director of Wild Farm Alliance (WFA). joannb@wildfarmalliance.org
Jo Ann is the author of many publications on the intersection between biodiversity conservation and agriculture, including beneficial birds, the conservation mandates within the National Organic Program regulations, and the co-management of food safety and conservation. Before joining WFA, she addressed crop, livestock and fiber issues, was senior research editor for a book of California's rare wildlife species, and was an organic farmer for over a decade. For her Master's research in Environmental Studies Department at San Jose State University, she studied bird predation of insects in apple orchards. Her undergraduate degree is in Soil and Water Science from UC Davis. Jo Ann is based in Watsonville, California and has been with WFA since the organization was founded in 2001.

Ferin Davis Anderson, Supervisor of Environmental Sciences, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s Land and Natural Resources Department. FerinDavis.Anderson@shakopeedakota.org
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.

Hope Flanagan, Community Outreach and Cultural Teacher, Seneca. Dream of Wild Health. Hope@dreamofwildhealth.org
Hope is from the turtle clan.  She is an elder who teaches about plants and wild plant gathering.  She is also a Storyteller in the Native Community. She has taught and worked in the Twin Cities Native Community since the late 70’s.  Most recently, Hope taught in an Ojibwe Immersion classroom for ten years, and prior to that as a Storyteller for Minneapolis Public Schools in drug and alcohol prevention for six years. She has worked at DWH since 2009.

Sarah Foltz Jordan, Conservation Biologist / Forager, Duluth, Minnesota. sarahfoltzjordan@gmail.com
Sarah (Sair) Foltz Jordan is an entomologist and conservation biologist based in Duluth, MN. An avid forager, she loves how foraging not only provides exceptional nourishment for our bodies, but also connection to place and ecological communities. Sair teaches wild mushroom ID workshops across the Midwest, with an emphasis on edibility of fungi to wildlife-- including (but not limited to!) us. She worked at the Xerces Society for 15 years and is very excited to apply some of the familiar concepts in the world of pollinator conservation to that of fungal-dependent invertebrates.

Stephanie Frischie, Ph.D., Agronomist / Native Plant Materials Specialist, Xerces Society. stephanie.frischie@xerces.org
Stephanie serves in a plant ecologist role and leads the Soil Life project as part of Xerces’ Pollinator habitat team. She has 21 years of professional experience in the field of ecological restoration as a practitioner and researcher. Her specific expertise is with native plant materials and all aspects of the native seed supply chain.  Stephanie provides pollinator and beneficial insect habitat expertise in Canada, the U.S. and Latin America for a range of land use types - farms, energy infrastructure, natural areas, and urban green spaces. She also works with native seed producers, users, and researchers to plan and develop seed supply of important plant species for creating and restoring habitat. Stephanie is a founding board member of the International Network for Seed-based Restoration. 

Megan Garfinkel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Chicago State University. mgarfink@csu.edu
Dr. Garfinkel is an ecologist who studies ecosystem services such as pest control and pollination. She is particularly interested in agricultural and urban systems, and her research tends to focus on both birds and insects. She holds a Master's degree in Natural Resources from Humboldt State University, a PhD in Biology from University of Illinois Chicago, and has also worked for several non-profit conservation related organizations. She lives in a rural Illinois town with a small herd of goats and too many chickens, and commutes into Chicago to teach and conduct research with students.

Sarah Hamilton-Buxton, Farm Bill Pollinator Conservation Planner, Xerces Society. sarah.hamilton-buxton@xerces.org grew up frequently visiting her grandparents’ farm where she developed an appreciation for farmers, ranchers, private landownership, and the natural world. She holds a bachelor's degree in wildlife science and a master's degree in renewable natural resources with a concentration in wildlife science. Prior to joining the Xerces Society, Sarah worked as a Farm Bill Specialist where she gained private lands biology experience working with farmers and ranchers enrolled in USDA Conservation Programs. With the Xerces Society, Sarah increases awareness of pollinator conservation as she works with ranchers and farmers to create and improve pollinator habitat on their operations throughout North Dakota and eastern Montana.

Dr. Craig Hansen, Chair of Board of Directors, Pollinator Friendly Alliance. craighansen1066@gmail.com
Craig Hansen, PhD, serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Pollinator Friendly Alliance. He is a professor and Dean Emeritus from Metropolitan State University. An author of academic work and several novels, he is also an active musician with music available on streaming services. Craig has had a long interest in environmental issues and in civic participation.

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

Jennifer Hopwood, Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Xerces Society. jennifer.hopwood@xerces.org
Hopwood provides resources and training for pollinator and beneficial insect habitat management and restoration in a variety of landscapes. She oversees a team of five USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service partner biologists and works closely with the NRCS. Jennifer has authored a number of publications and articles, and is co-author of several books, including Farming with Soil Life, Farming with Native Beneficial Insects, 100 Plants to Feed the Bees, and a roadside revegetation manual and is the rights-of-way lead at Xerces. Jennifer has a master's degree in entomology from the University of Kansas.

Gina Hugo, Parks Director for Sherburne County, Minnesota. Gina.Hugo@co.sherburne.mn.us
Gina administers all things parks – including park development projects, maintenance, programming, and natural resource management.  Over her 25-year career, Gina has worked specifically in the Anoka Sandplain, specializing in restoring and enhancing the oak savanna and prairie habitat that characterizes the region.  Gina is also Chair of the Greater Minnesota Parks and Trails and is extremely passionate about advocating at the legislative level for policies and funding that support equitable access to the amazing parks and trails Minnesota has to offer.  Gina is an avid recreational cyclist, enjoys hiking, learning about Native American Culture, and camping with friends and family. 

Karin Jokela, Pollinator Conservation Planner, Xerces Society and NRCS Partner Biologist. karin.jokela@xerces.org
Karin provides pollinator-related technical support and training to NRCS field office conservation planners and farmers, primarily in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. She has a strong background in pollinator conservation and agriculture, and holds a master's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Iowa State University, where she studied skipper butterfly conservation and grassland restoration within agroecosystems. 

Evan Larson, PhD. Professor of Environmental Sciences and Society, U of Wisconsin Platteville. larsonev@uwplatt.edu
Evan Larson is a father, husband, teacher, scientist, and enthusiast of wild places. Evan's childhood took place in the woods of central Minnesota, helping his parents tend 80 acres of mixed hardwood forests. Drawn by mountains, oceans, and forests, his formal education includes an Environmental Science bachelor’s degree from Willamette University, degrees in geography from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (M.S.) and the University of Minnesota (PhD), and a Faculty Fulbright fellowship to Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall. Less formally, Evan's philosophy of life has been informed by significant doses of reflection, books, chainsaws and firewood. Evan has 22 years of experience using tree rings to investigate environmental history including past patterns of climate, disturbance, and forest change. As a Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences & Society at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Evan teaches courses that blur the lines between physical and cultural geography and that are infused with undergraduate research in search of transformative learning experiences. The work that is currently at the center of Evan's thoughts and energy is fueled by the enthusiasm of amazing collaborators who are together working to re-story the interwoven relationships among people, fire, and pine in Great Lakes Forests.

Angella Moorehouse, Natural Areas Preservation Specialist, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. angella.moorehouse@illinois.gov
Angella holds a master’s degree from Western Illinois University in avian and plant ecology. She was mentored in the field by various entomology experts starting with butterflies in the late 1990s. This passion later expanded to include other groups of insects with a focus on pollinators. For the past 27 years she has worked for the Illinois DNR as a field representative for the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission in west-central Illinois where she prepares conservation easements to protect high quality natural areas and assists in the management along with flora and fauna monitoring of these sites. She has been conducting photography surveys of flower visiting insects on 30 protected natural areas in west-central Illinois since 2018. Angella and her husband Dan are avid photographers and use their photographs to document natural diversity and share their passion for nature through education. Angella has published several photo field guides on wasps, bees, flies, and moths with the Field Museum in Chicago as part of the Rapid Field Guide program. “Flower Bugs” is her first book publication and is intended to be a field guide for identification of flower visiting true bugs (Heteroptera) in the Midwest.

Ray Moranz, Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Xerces Society and NRCS Partner Biologist ray.moranz@xerces.org
Dr. Ray Moranz works as a pollinator conservationist for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Ray also serves as a Partner Biologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and assists the Central National Technology Support Center (CNTSC) with pollinator conservation.  Ray lives with his wife and son on a small farm outside of Stillwater, OK.  

Dave Nolin, Author dave.nolin@gmail.com
Grew up in Fairborn, Green County, Ohio and attended Wright State University with a BS and Master’s in Biology. Retired from Five Rivers MetroParks in 2015 after 30 years of involvement in conservation and land acquisition work. Currently volunteering for several conservation entities and former President of Beaver Creek Wetlands Association. Author of book “Discovery and Renewal on Huffman Prairie”.

Rae Powers, Farm Bill Pollinator Conservation Planner & NRCS Partner Biologist, Xerces Society raeann.powers@usda.gov
Rae works across Nebraska and South Dakota with ranchers, farmers, agencies, and conservation groups to promote pollinators and other beneficial insects on farms. In collaboration with NRCS staff, she works with ranchers and farmers to identify wildlife conservation opportunities, pollination and pest control needs, and determine strategies and funding sources to best meet those needs. Rae provides technical support to producers, NRCS staff, and other farm agency professionals in the Great Plains as they navigate questions surrounding pollinator habitat needs, plant selection, site preparation, and monitoring.

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 proect 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. In 2014, she founded a local grassroots group and grew it into a dynamic regional non-profit with work that focuses on protections for pollinators, increasing biodiversity, reducing pesticide use and educating public and private land stewards on ecologically-sound practices.

Sharon Selvaggio, Pesticide Program Specialist, Xerces Society. sharon.selvaggio@xerces.org
Tiny, inconspicuous and unappreciated species hold our world together. On their behalf, Sharon Selvaggio, a staff member in The Xerces Society’s Pesticide Program, studies the risks of pesticides and helps people move away from pesticide reliance toward prevention-based pest management. Sharon is a former biologist and refuge manager with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and former wildlife and water director for Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides. She holds an M.S. in Energy and Resources from the University of California-Berkeley.

Stephen Thomforde, Senior Restoration Ecologist, Stantec. stephen.thomforde@stantec.com
Senior Ecologist with Stantec, a farmer and educator. Steve's experience encompasses 25 years of innovative ecological restoration, using cutting edge principles, e.g. ecosystem phenomenology, keystone processes such as grazing, and disturbance theory coupled to a strong natural history. His work focuses on grassland, savanna, and wetland projects.

Kass Urban-Mead PhD, Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Xerces Society. kass.urban-mead@xerces.org
Kass provides pollinator-related technical support and training to NRCS field office conservation planners in the Mid-Atlantic, primarily in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. She works across densely urban landscapes, agricultural systems, and managed and unmanaged semi-natural areas and forests. Kass's doctoral work in the Cornell Entomology Department characterized the wild bees active in early spring forests and forest canopies, quantified canopy pollen consumption by spring-flying bees, and described how the movement of bees between forests and orchards can support orchard pollination. Kass grew up raising 4-H dairy goats in the Hudson Valley, NY, and spends much of her free time on roller skates.

Thanks to our partner sponsors

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