Key Species

Apps & Tools

• Bee Score: Flower Finder "Select the flowers you have in your garden, then hit continue to find out your current bee kind score. If you’re not sure exactly which plants you have, try clicking the filters on and off to help identify the bee-friendly flowers in your garden." This is hosted by and for UK residents, so you won't get a bonus for "native species" if you live outside the UK, and might see your local natives listed as "non-native" or get an "invasive penalty" even if those plants are fine where you live, but this is still a fun and educational resource.

Europe

UK

• Bee Score: Flower Finder "Select the flowers you have in your garden, then hit continue to find out your current bee kind score. If you’re not sure exactly which plants you have, try clicking the filters on and off to help identify the bee-friendly flowers in your garden." This is hosted by and for UK residents, so you won't get a bonus for "native species" if you live outside the UK, and might see your local natives listed as "non-native" or get an "invasive penalty" even if those plants are fine where you live, but this is still a fun and educational resource.

Guides

Support Pollinator: DIY Habitat Manual

Bee-Friendly Gardening

• Autumn/Winter Garden Maintenance Guide "The autumn and winter months can be challenging for our hardworking pollinators, but we can all do something in our outdoor spaces to help bumblebees survive and thrive!
  
  Download this guide to discover how you can create and protect potential hibernation spots for bumblebee queens, prepare for next year with some easy maintenance jobs and autumn/winter planting, and feed the bumblebees who do remain active over winter." The planting suggestions are specifically for UK residents, but could also work in other places. Just be careful to pick native plants whenever possible to avoid introducing anything invasive.

Community Gardens

• Create A Community Greenspace (for Bumble Bees) "This guide offers support to community groups, housing associations, local authorities, schools and other organisations who want to develop a bumblebee-friendly greenspace within their community or local area.
  
  It provides guidance on identifying your space, securing funding, designing and creating your space, and of course top tips for enjoying your new bumblebee haven as a community!" (PDFs available in English and Welsh/Cymraeg)

How-To: Seed Bombs

• Make Your Own Bee-Friendly Seed Balls (PDF) be aware that the planting suggestions are specifically for UK residents, but could also work in other places. Just be careful to pick native plants whenever possible to avoid introducing anything invasive.

Nature-Friendly Gardening

• Gardening for Nature Recovery Poster (PDF) "The Bumblebee Conservation Trust has teamed up with We Have The POWER to bring you these 11 simple actions you can take to support wildlife in your outdoor space – whether it is a window box, balcony, garden, or allotment or community green space."

Gardening for Bats

• Gardening for Bats

Europe

UK

• Create A Community Greenspace (for Bumble Bees) "This guide offers support to community groups, housing associations, local authorities, schools and other organisations who want to develop a bumblebee-friendly greenspace within their community or local area.
  
  It provides guidance on identifying your space, securing funding, designing and creating your space, and of course top tips for enjoying your new bumblebee haven as a community!" (PDFs available in English and Welsh/Cymraeg)

North America

• Xerces Society: Farming for Bees Guidelines (pdf)

Oceana

Australia

• Powerful Pollinators "is a program designed to increase the prevalence, health and diversity of pollinators in the landscape. The program encourages the strategic planting of ‘trees for bees’ and other pollinators and provides Powerful Pollinators Planting Guides developed by experienced botanists and field ecologists for use by landholders.
  
  The Guides specify relevant information about pollinator habitat and floral resources to enable users such as land managers, Landcare groups, nurseries and gardeners to select the most appropriate indigenous species that provide value for pollinators."

Pollinator Garden Networks & Programs

North America

• Bee City USA® and Bee Campus USA work to galvanize communities to sustain pollinators, in particular the more than 3,600 species of native bees in this country, by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing the use of pesticides. Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA are initiatives of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. 

• Monarch Net: Monitoring Programs

• Pollinator Pathways you can register your garden or pollinator pathway project, sharing maps and photos. The site also offers resources including plant lists, eco-region info, etc.

Canada

• Ontario East Pollinator Gardens

USA

Oregon

• Pollinator Parkways helps bees and other pollinators in the Portland, Oregon area, but the instructions work well for the Pacific Northwest in general.

International

• Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation "is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. As a science-based organization, we both conduct our own research and rely upon the most up-to-date information to guide our conservation work. Our key program areas are: pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts."

Europe

UK

• Butterfly Conservancy "Butterflies and moths are sensitive indicators of the health of our environment. Find out how you can help them."

North America

Canada

• Pollinator Partnership Canada " is a registered charity dedicated to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems through conservation, education, and research."

North America

USA

• Bee Campus USA "brings college communities together to sustain pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing the use of pesticides. Affiliates of Bee Campus USA also work to inspire others to take steps to conserve pollinators through education and outreach. Learn how your college can join Bee Campus USA."

• Ecological Landscape Alliance "Since its founding in 1992, the Ecological Landscape Alliance has been a leader in promoting sustainable approaches to landscape design, construction, and management. ELA’s commitment to innovative ideas and evidence-based practices has made the organization both a trusted resource and a vibrant community of landscape professionals and devoted gardeners."

• Wild Ones "promotes native landscapes through education, advocacy, and collaborative action."

Minnesota

• The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization "works to protect and improve water quality, habitat and natural resources in an urban watershed that drains directly into the Mississippi River. We are a joint-powers local government unit and one of approximately three dozen watershed organizations in the Twin Cities metropolitan area."

Missouri 

• Camp Monarch "is a newly founded nonprofit committed to addressing the loss of vital habitats for the Monarch Butterfly and many other species across North America.  Right now, we are a small but dedicated team of passionate individuals determined to take action for wildlife and biodiversity. Our work begins by laying the foundation for a network of habitat restoration projects, with a focus on empowering landowners to be part of the solution.
  
  As we get started, we’re recruiting founding members who share our vision of restoring fragmented ecosystems and reconnecting wildlife corridors. Our work may still be in its early stages, but we know that with the right people, every small step will lead to big impact."

Oregon

"Montavilla Neighborhood in Portland, Oregon"

Oceana

Australia

Western Australia

Native Plant Subsidy "Native plants provide natural food sources and shelter for native animals, are water wise and can help cool your home naturally. To help you create a waterwise garden, the City of Cockburn offers native plant subsidies to both residents and schools."