Photo: Tara Harris, MN Zoo
Minnesota Pollinator Action Framework
NEW - The second phase of public engagement is now open!
Visit our engagement platform to share your feedback and ideas on the draft Minnesota Pollinator Action Framework. The platform will be open until March 15.
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:
- Lands throughout Minnesota support healthy, diverse, and abundant pollinator populations
- Minnesotans use pesticides judiciously and only when necessary, to reduce harm to pollinators from pesticides while retaining economic strength
- Minnesotans understand, value, and actively support pollinators
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.
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Best management practices for pollinators and their habitat
- Board of Water and Soil Resources. Pollinator Toolbox
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Minnesota's Pollinators, Minnesota Pollinator Resources
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Pollinator friendly best management practices for stormwater management
- Minnesota Zoo. Plant for pollinators, Prairie Butterfly Conservation Program
- Minnesota Department of Transportation. Pollinators and MnDOT
- Guide to planting a pollinator-friendly project from seeds. 2021 Pollinator-friendly planting guide
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:
- Minnesota Bumble Bee Atlas. Partnership between UMN Extension and the Xerces Society
- Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. MonarchNet, the North American Network of monarch butterfly monitoring programs
- Bumble Bee Watch
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
2020 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report
2019 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report
Information Sources for the 2019 Pollinator Report
Agency Pollinator Summaries 2019
Pollinator Legislation Memo 2019
2018 Minnesota State Agency Pollinator Report
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.
2018 Recommendations on Pollinator Protection - Governor's Committee on Pollinator Protection