Pollinators

Photo: Tara Harris, MN Zoo

Minnesota Pollinator Action Framework

Pollinators are in trouble due to a combination of factors including climate change, pesticides, habitat loss, diseases and parasites. We can all play a part in helping restore pollinator health and safeguarding our food systems, lands, and way of life. To guide this work, the Interagency Pollinator Protection Team (IPPT) is developing an action framework. The framework is a set of recommended actions to help pollinators in Minnesota over the long term. These recommendations will include state-led actions, actions the state Legislation can enact by writing laws and allocating funds, and actions members of the public can do. 

The framework is organized around our desired outcome of healthy and diverse pollinator populations in Minnesota, and our three pollinator protection goals:

  1. Lands throughout Minnesota support healthy, diverse, and abundant pollinator populations
  2. Minnesotans use pesticides judiciously and only when necessary, to reduce harm to pollinators from pesticides while retaining economic strength
  3. Minnesotans understand, value, and actively support pollinators

The final action framework will be ready by the end of the summer 2023.

Background

In 2019, Governor Tim Walz issued Executive Order 19-28 recognizing pollinators as important to Minnesota's economy, ecology, and way of life and directing state agencies to restore pollinator health in Minnesota. This order builds upon his predecessor's executive order, and continues the EQB's role in pollinator public engagement and implementation of the Interagency Pollinator Protection Team.

The Interagency Pollinator Protection Team includes representatives from the Minnesota Departments of Administration, Agriculture, Corrections, Education, Health, Natural Resources, and Transportation; the Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources; the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; and the Minnesota Zoological Garden. The Interagency Pollinator Protection Team provides operational support, ensures interagency cooperation, develops cross agency policies and programs, and reports annually on progress.

Pollinator Resources

Several state agencies that form the Interagency Pollinator Protection Team have developed resources and information to help protect pollinators.

Community Science Initiatives

Minnesotans of all ages can get involved in helping pollinators. A fun way to get plugged in is by joining a pollinator-related community science initiative, and there are many to chose from, such as:

Email updates

Click to subscribe to our Pollinator Protection email list. 

Contact

For information on the Environmental Quality Board's pollinator work, contact Rebeca Gutierrez-Moreno (rebeca.gutierrez-moreno@state.mn.us, 651-757-2268).

Pollinator reports

2022 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report

DRAFT Minnesota Pollinator Action Framework

2021 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report

Front cover of the 2020 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report 2020 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report

Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report 2019

2019 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report

Information Sources for the 2019 Pollinator Report

Agency Pollinator Summaries 2019

Pollinator Legislation Memo 2019

Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report 2018

2018 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report

Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report 2017

2017 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report

Governor's Committee on Pollinator Protection (2016 - 2018)

Under Executive Order 16-07, the Environmental Quality Board supported the Governor's Committee on Pollinator Protection, comprised of 15 appointed members of the public with experience in agriculture, conservation, education, academia, and local government. The committee, formed in 2016, advised the governor, the Environmental Quality Board, the Interagency Pollinator Protection Team, and participating agencies on pollinator policy and programs. The Governor's Committee delivered a report with 39 recommendations in November 2018 documenting a range of ideas for pollinator conservation. The committee completed its work in December 2018.

Recommendations for Pollinator Protection in Minnesota

2018 Recommendations on Pollinator Protection - Governor's Committee on Pollinator Protection