Pollinator Steward Certification Training

The training component of Certification involves in person learning, online modules, or a hybrid. Training is flexible and can meet the needs and interests of different groups. To achieve certification, participants must demonstrate understanding of the following components, which comprise approximately 10 hours of training with additional discussion/question periods. Only Pollinator Partnership can award the Pollinator Steward Certification.

Training must include:

• Pollinator Basics: pollination ecology, information on main pollinators, focus on bees (managed and native), conservation issues, habitat needs, how to help
• Indigenous Perspectives: Indigenous knowledge, history, culture, relationships and considerations in your region
• Selecting Plants for Pollinators: information on coevolution, and consideration of local environment, history, habitat and native plants
• Habitat enhancement techniques: options from preservation, enhancement, and maintaining habitat for pollinators with practical details. This section can include several modules on creating and maintaining specific habitat types (eg, meadows, wetlands, hedgerows, urban etc)
• Identifying and Monitoring Pollinators: how to tell bees, flies, and wasps apart, some of the main bee groups, and how to monitoring pollinator populations formally and informally
• Outreach and Education: learn options for spreading your knowledge and inspiring others

The following components are recommended:

• Planning, budgeting, barriers, and implementation
• In-depth exploration of other pollinator groups (eg butterflies, beetles)
• Artificial pollinator nesting habitat (bee houses)