Pollinator Partnership opens 2027 steward training registration

Pollinator Partnership has opened registration for its 2027 Pollinator Steward Certification program, a virtual training aimed at helping people build habitat for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The launch comes as the nonprofit highlights a graduate whose backyard project grew into neighborhood outreach and hands-on conservation work.

Why it matters: - Pollinators are central to healthy ecosystems and food production, but many species are in decline because of habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change and other threats. - Pollinator Partnership is using its certification program to turn more homeowners, gardeners, farmers and land managers into local habitat builders. - The program is designed to move people from awareness to action with practical conservation skills.

What happened: - Pollinator Partnership opened registration for its 2027 Pollinator Steward Certification program. - The nonprofit is promoting the launch through the story of Deborah Paes, a graduate of the certification program. - Paes turned a native plant garden project in her backyard into a wider neighborhood effort that supports pollinators.

The details: - Paes planted native trees, shrubs and flowers to create habitat for native pollinators and other wildlife. - Over two summers, Paes grew and distributed four pollinator-friendly native plants to 45 houses in her neighborhood: cardinal flower, sneezeweed, swamp milkweed and anise hyssop. - Paes used each plant to teach a lesson about native species, including edible uses and common misconceptions. - Paes also shared anise hyssop-almond butter cookies made with flowers from her garden to show how pollinators support food systems. - Paes said the PSC course gave her the knowledge and skills to engage successfully with her community and make a difference for native pollinators. - The 2027 PSC program includes nine virtual modules, plus a habitat project and an outreach activity to earn certification. - Pollinator Partnership says the training was developed by its team of pollinator scientists and habitat professionals. - Since 2021, the PSC program has trained more than 5,000 people and certified nearly 2,000 Pollinator Stewards across North America and around the world. - Pollinator Partnership says the program serves people ranging from home gardeners to conservation professionals.

Between the lines: - The Paes example shows how a backyard habitat project can scale into community education and behavior change. - The certification program appears built to make pollinator conservation accessible, practical and repeatable for non-experts. - Pollinator Partnership is positioning local stewardship as a response to a broad environmental problem that affects both wildlife and agriculture.

What's next: - Pollinator Partnership is inviting people to register for the 2027 program now. - Participants will complete the virtual coursework, build habitat and carry out outreach to become certified. - The nonprofit is betting that more trained stewards will translate into more pollinator habitat in neighborhoods and communities.

The bottom line: - Pollinator Partnership is expanding a hands-on conservation program that turns ordinary spaces into pollinator habitat and gives participants a clear path to community impact. - More information: pollinator.org/psc