Little Things Run the World Pollinator Tour of the Beacon Food Forest

Small things make the world go round. We might consider insects and other arthropods to be the atoms and molecules of our living world. Most of our food depends on pollination. Pollination began with the first flowers, and plants and pollinators have evolved together ever since. Pollination has been around for a long time, but life itself has been around for much longer. Now that the next stages of evolution are human dependent, we must learn all the roles that pollinators play in maintaining life on our planet.

Bees, flies, wasps, beetles, and birds all play roles in helping plants thrive. Any guide to pollinators must include the co-dependent relationship between plants and the animals they depend on. On the tour we will learn how key species play central roles in any ecosystem.

Students will leave knowing:

• How pollination works
• The role all insects play in agriculture
• Basic pollinator anatomy
• Basic flower and plant anatomy
• Pollinator habitat creation and restoration
• How to plant to flowers for best pollinator health
• Why citizen science matters

Tony Dickey moved to Seattle over 30 years ago from Philadelphia. He has volunteered in many capacities at the food forest since 2018. In 2020, he began building Pollinator Plus to foster habitat more suitable for all pollinators. He also knew that Beacon Food Forest is an excellent spot to learn how to reach the core mission of the group. About the same time, a wide cohort of Washington residents, created the Washington Native Bee Society. It is their mission to advocate for native bees across the state. By the end of 2020 he gladly accepted their offer to join their board. Many of the pollinator tales you will hear during the 2025 Pollinator Habitat Tour of Beacon Food Forest arrive via the statewide curriculum we are developing together. In June 2024, members of the Washington Native Bee Society and Xerces Society Ambassadors held our first Pollinator-Plus Event at Beacon Food Forest. We are excited to return again this year!

Mike Davidson, Western Washington native and a public school educator, has a lifelong love of nature. Mike prioritizes biodiversity through the explorations and the writings of Edward O Wilson. After taking up macro photography he discovered the world of native bees and became a certified Melittologist when he joined The Washington Bee Atlas and The Washington Native Bee Society. Mike now brings together a love for the natural world and educating experience to the Seattle Citizens for Pollinators. Mike and Tony share the vision of informing the public the importance of natural pollinators in way the inspires citizen action and advocacy.

Our goal is to reach out to the public to teach the importance of natural pollinators, and how they can participate by growing pollinator friendly plants and flowers that play such an important role in sustaining the health of our environment.

Please reach out to Asha Nelson if you have any questions

Host or Publisher Beacon Food Forest - Food Forest Collective