Public Art Pollinator Pasture Project

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UBC Art Project Helps Community Learn about Bumble Bees

On Tuesday, January 12, 2016, the Public Art Pollinator Pasture Project will be hosting the second event of the “The Pollinizing Sessions: A Series of Talks and Workshops to Learn About Pollinators in Our Community.” Dr. Ralph Cartar of the University of Calgary will give a talk called “The Lives of Bumble Bees in the Anthropocene.”

The talk will be held at the downtown Kelowna branch of the Okanagan Regional Library, 1380 Ellis St. Kelowna on January 12th from 7 pm – 8:30 pm. Admission is free but people are encouraged to pre-register at pollinizingsessions-cartar.eventbrite.ca.

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Dr. Ralph Cartar

 

Dr. Ralph Cartar has studied the ecology of bumble bees in BC and Alberta for over 30 years, starting with his doctoral research at Simon Fraser University. He and his students at the University of Calgary have investigated the behaviour of bumble bees across a range of natural and human-altered landscapes.

“We’ll learn a great deal about the plight of bumble bees from Dr. Cartar,” says organizer UBC Associate Professor Nancy Holmes. “Pollination helps the well-being all species and ecosystems, but there is a lack of awareness of the importance of bees and other pollinating insects. This is why UBC Okanagan and Emily Carr University have teamed up for a three-year partnership project with the City of Kelowna and the City Richmond to create community and public art projects around these amazing and precious species. The Pollinizing Sessions are our first step to educate ourselves and the community about the issues around the plight of bees.”

 


The Pollinizing Sessions
will host a series of eight talks and three workshops in 2016. They include

  • Gabe Cipes of Summerhill Winery and Bistro talking about Biodynamic food gardens for pollinators (January 21);
  • Dr. Kenna Mackenzie of the Pacific Agri-Research Centre in Summerland on pollinators and farming in the Okanagan (February 18);
  • Brian Campbell of West Coast Seeds on the relationship between bees and plants (February 29);
  • Gwen Steele of the Okanagan Xeriscape Association on creating water-wise pollinator gardens (March 3);
  • Tracey Kim Bonneau (Of the Land Productions) on Traditional Ecological Knowledge and local foods (March 7);
  • Dr. Elizabeth Elle on the conservation of wild bees (April 7);
  • and author Lori Weidenhammer on how art can inspire conservation of bees (May 26).

In addition to the talks, the Public Art Pollinator Pasture will be hosting three hands-on workshops:

  • growing native plants (March 13) ,
  • making bee homes (March 20),
  • and all day workshop with Dr. Elle who will help people become citizen scientists by learning to ID different bee species (April 9).

The series is sponsored by the Okanagan Regional Library, The Public Art Pollinator Pasture Project, and Border Free Bees. Find out more information by contacting Nancy Holmes at 250-764-9666 or through Facebook “Public Art Pollinator Pasture” or through the Eco Art Incubator.