in Your Own Backyard
Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other insects are a key element of our food
supply chain, but their populations are threatened by the loss of habitat. As part of the EPA
Pollinator Protection Initiative, EPA facilities across the country have made critical improvements
to enhance their pollinator habitats. Now it is your turn to bee the change! Help protect
pollinators at home by following these simple steps in your yard and garden.
7hink locally. Incorporate a diverse mix of native species of flowering plants suitable for
your climate and region to attract and benefit local polllinators. Use the Pollinator Partnership's
Ecoregional Planting Guides (http://Dollinator.org/guides) for ideas to get started.
Keep it clean. Provide a source of clean water for pollinators to drink from such as a bird
bath or shallow dish. Make sure to change the water a few times a week to prevent mosquitoes.
Give a little ground. Leave a few spots in the garden unmulched and uncovered to
provide space for ground nesting pollinators. Avoid tilling or disturbing the ground in these areas
to preserve their habitat.
Cut down On cutting. Where possible, reduce the frequency of mowing to every 2 to
3 weeks and set your lawn mower blades to the highest setting. Allow low-growing, flowering
groundcover, such as clover, to bloom and provide food for pollinators.
Leave these for the bees. Leave plant stalks and other organic ^ *»r
materials in place during fall garden maintenance and wait to conduct outdoor	L 1
spring cleanup until after pollinators appear.	*
Protecting Pollinators
For more information, visit intranet.epa.gov/sustainablesolutions/greenbuildings.

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