Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 8418 / SEEDWORLD.COM JANUARY 2017 PROTECTINGPOLLINATORS ThisseriesissponsoredbyOperationPollinator, aSyngentaglobalinitiative. HONEY BEES and other pollinators are capable of flying several miles to find food, but research shows boosting pollinator habitats is an important aspect in protecting pollinator populations. In response, many farmers have stepped up to create wildflower habitats on their farms as part of Operation Pollinator, a program developed by Syngenta more than 15 years ago. But honey bees and other pollina- tors don’t just live on rural farmland, so Syngenta is working to expand the program beyond the farm to penetrate suburban America, and even the cities — a place where golf courses have provided the perfect partnership. Walt Osborne, key account manager for Syngenta, says golf courses offer a unique opportunity in that they can ben- efit from creating pollinator habitats. “Not only do these habitats help the environment by creating pollinator forage, but they’ve also been able to add beauty and even reduce maintenance in some areas,” Osborne shares. Through Operation Pollinator, golf course superintendents have access to the tools and information they need to successfully establish and manage, and communicate the benefits of attractive wildflower resources crucial to pollinators. “We’ve really seen a neat combination of benefits,” Osborne says. “We have to keep in mind that on a golf course, out-of- play doesn’t mean out-of-sight, so placing forage areas near cart paths or between tee boxes is a great opportunity to add visual interest to the course while helping the pollinators.” Plus, there are considerable public rela- tions benefits. “There is a certain segment of the population that views golf courses as sort of green deserts,” says Daniel Potter, a University of Kentucky professor and entomologist. “This program provides the opportunity to use that land as some of the most natural habitats we can provide for pollinators and other wildlife.” Habitats and Hives In some cases, golf courses have been able to do even more than plant a few wildflowers. Bryan Bergner, golf course superin- tendent of Westmoor Country Club in Brookfield, Wis., created a 22,000-square foot pollinator habitat on his course. It started out as a simple wildflower project, Operation Pollinator looks to the green spaces inside cities and suburbs to increase pollinator-friendly environments. Melissa Shipman GROWINGHABITATBEYONDTHEFARM but the idea grew and now he manages three honey bee hives, only about 65 yards away from a playing area. “The first hive was added in the spring of 2014, and we added two more at the end of that year,” Bergner shares. “Now, we’ve created our own little eco- system, right here on the course.” Creating forage is an important goal of Operation Pollinator and a goal that’s ongoing. Potter says that as of this past spring (2016), more than 200 U.S. courses across 30 states have estab- lished Operation Pollinator sites. One of the newest adopters of the program is Marriott Golf, which has com- mitted to establishing habitats on all its U.S. courses, and those are underway. Camelback Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., is just one of many golf courses to participate in Syngenta’s Operation pollinator program, says Walt Osborne, a key account manager.