> Peter, as I said in a previous post, neither the academics nor the pollinator protection groups have proposed land management changes that would be logistically feasible and financially affordable for society to implement on a landscape scale, hence the large declines in native pollinators will continue no matter how much funding these groups receive to study, monitor, evaluate, etc.  

REPLY:

Of course you realize, your stating that there are no feasible or affordable solutions is just an a priori dismissal leading nowhere. Three significant publications have come to light in 2010. I have already referred to: "Managing Alternative Pollinators", by Eric Mader, Marla Spivak, and Elaine Evans as well as "The conservation and restoration of wild bees", by Rachael Winfree. To these I add "Alternative Pollinators: Native Bees", by Eric Mader, Mace Vaughan, Matthew Shepherd and Scott Hoffman Black

EXCERPT:

Studies in California demonstrate that around 30 percent of the land within threequarters of a mile of a field should be in natural habitat in order to provide full pollination for watermelon. Similarly, studies in Canada have shown that in the absence of honey bees canola farmers can increase their income because of increased pollination by native bees if 30 percent of their farmland is left in natural habitat.

In a mixed landscape straddling the New Jersey- Pennsylvania border, crops of tomatoes, peppers and watermelons all received high visitation from native bees because of the presence of woodlands (up to 60 percent of the land within 1.25 miles of a field) and other habitat areas between fields (Winfree et. al., 2008).  

Scientists and growers are still learning about how much habitat is needed for other crops. In general, a sound strategy is to make habitat patches as large as feasible within the constraints of a farm and to create as many patches as possible. Larger areas of habitat ensure a greater likelihood that forage, nest sites and nest building materials will be available within the bees’ flight range and throughout the flight season. 

[These publications are filled with realistic suggestions for improvement, all the while tempered with the good sense born of working in the field doing the actual work required to bring about the needed changes. -- PLB]

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