CFAES Give Today
Entomology

Department of Entomology

CFAES

Pollinator Education Program Highlights

Tending Nature: Native Plants and Every Gardener's Role in Fostering Biodiversity

Contributed by Denise Ellsworth, director, Pollinator Education Program

The Tending Nature Speaker Series was held in January and February 2022. This virtual webinar series consisted of six weekly webinars led by entomology and ecology experts. The series attracted 4,957 enrolled participants and had 5,700 average views on YouTube after the live sessions. In Ohio, 154 participants took part in Tending Nature as part of a longer online course focusing on native plants and biodiversity. The online course included discussions, seminars, and individual projects. These participants will gather in person for three field days this spring and summer to continue their education about the role of native plants, and they have agreed to teach others through classes and events in their local communities. Of the 1,239 Tending Nature Speaker Series respondents, 94% learned new information about native plants and biodiversity, 89% intend to make changes in their landscape, and 77% will teach others what they’ve learned.