PROJECT UPDATE: In 2023, seven species of bumblebee were observed at the Egremont Pollinator Pathway site, including two of our target species at risk, Bombus terricola and Bombus vagans. In 2020, before any landscape modifications took place, only two bumblebee species were observed at the site, and both were common, abundant species (Bombus impatiens and Bombus griseocollis).

On the weekend of October 24-25, 2020, citizens in Egremont braved cold rain and winds and installed almost 10,000 sq.ft of plants stretching from the French Park Dog Park parking lot to the forest edge. The installation encompassed upland meadow, woodland edges and wet meadow habitat; and included 38 species of native shrubs, forbs, graminoids and trees. All of the plants were selected to support at-risk bees and butterflies endemic to high elevation Western Massachusetts.

Native pollinators are vital to creating and maintaining the habitats and ecosystems that most animals rely on for food and shelter — including humans. Just like humans, pollinators need nutrient-dense food, shelter, and successful reproduction to thrive. But not all species require the same thing. A delicate balance exists between native plants and their pollinators, relationships that evolved over millions of years. A major misconception about pollinator decline is that all species are declining at the same rate. In fact, many species are actually increasing in abundance and geographic distribution as a direct result of human disturbance. “Seeing lots of bees” does not necessarily mean that your landscape is pollinator-friendly.

The good news is, there’s a lot that can be done on the part of individuals and communities. That’s where this Toolkit comes in. By following the plant lists and habitat management guidelines outlined on the following pages, citizens in Egremont and in towns across the Berkshires can attract and sustain threatened pollinator species at their homes or sites — building local networks of biodiversity, ecosystem health and climate resiliency through pollinator-plant interactions.