Native bees may be small, but they play a critical role in pollinating our crops and sustaining wild landscapes. In recent decades, many native bee species have declined due to habitat loss, pesticide use, disease, and increasingly intensive land use.
Since 2023, researchers from the University of Rhode Island Bee Lab and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station have been studying which flowering plants best support native bees—including rare species—across Rhode Island and Connecticut. This research is part of broader Farm Bill conservation efforts, which support public–private partnerships that bring together farmers, landowners, conservation organizations, and agencies to create pollinator habitat on working lands through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Some of this important research is happening right here on SKLT properties, helping inform which plants make the biggest difference for bees in our region.
Join us on January 22 from 6:00–8:00 PM for a potluck and talk with Casey Johnson, Research Associate at the URI Bee Lab and Project Coordinator for the Rhode Island Plant Insect Community Network. Learn what the research is revealing, why plant choice matters, and how thoughtful conservation plantings can help native bees thrive—one flower at a time.
Bring a dish to share and see you there!
