feed the bees: plants for pollinators, with the xerces society

It begins with a dedication that includes these words:

“…to everyone who tears up their front yard to plant big chaotic wildflower gardens, to farmers who think hedgerows and wildflower field borders are just as important as crops, to urban planners and landscapers who turn gray and lifeless concrete landscapes into corridors of biodiversity…”

I think that dedication would make a good universal mandate, wouldn’t it?

To learn more about what makes a great pollinator plant, I called Matthew Shepherd, who has been with Xerces since 1999. He is their Communications Director, and has coauthored other Society publications, including their important “Pollinator Conservation Handbook.” Matthew is also a fellow gardener with an interest in creating gardens that provide for insects and other wildlife.

Read along as you listen to the Nov. 14, 2016 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

Q. Matthew, before we get started: For people who don’t know Xerces Society and its work, can you give us a picture of what you do?

A. We were founded in 1971, so we’re coming up for our 45th birthday. I’m sure many listeners have heard Robert Michael Pyle, the author and butterfly enthusiast. He’s the guy who had the idea for the Xerces Society when he was much younger—when we were all much younger.

At the time, there were other organizations doing