Protecting Pollinators
Pollinators are vital to the health of natural food webs and the functioning of ecosystems as they transfer pollen from flower to flower, fertilizing plants and leading to the growth of fruit, vegetables and grains. Pollinators include vertebrates like birds, bats and mice and invertebrates including flies, ants, wasps, spiders, beetles, butterflies, moths and bees.
Many pollinators are in serious decline in the United States and worldwide. Pollinator decline is not completely understood but disease, habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change all may play a role.
The Audubon Society of Rhode Island is committed to supporting the diversity and health of pollinators through environmental education, advocacy for sound policies, and conservation of pollinator habitat and species.
Why are Pollinators Important?
Approximately 80% of the world’s flowering plants require pollinators to reproduce. In the United States alone, more than 100 species of plants require pollinators. The fruits and seeds that result provide food, beverages, fibers, fuel, medicine and other goods. The value of pollinated crops in the United States was estimated at $50 billion in 2020.
Learn More:
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This familiar buzzing could be silenced as we face a catastrophic decline in pollinator species.
Latest Pollinator News
Get the buzz on pollinator news and upcoming events.
Through donor support of any kind, Audubon can fulfill its mission of educating five-year-olds about the wonders of wildlife, managing habitat for declining pollinator species, or permanently protecting forests, fields, and wetlands, it is connecting its founding legacy to what lies ahead.
Why should you care about bumblebees? Like many native bees and butterflies, bumbles are excellent pollinators and humans need pollinators to produce about two-thirds of the world’s food crops. No pollination, no seed development, no fruit, no vegetables. In this installment of the Newport This Week's "Nature in the Neighborhood" series, Audubon Senior Director of Education Lauren Parmelee talks about bumblebees.
Lawns are ecological deserts, creating a monoculture with little to no food for wildlife. Every garden is an opportunity for us to rethink our manicured yards and consider restoring habitat for native plants and wildlife. But where to begin?
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium
Visit Rhode Island's largest nature center and aquarium. Walk the trails through meadows and marshes to Narragansett Bay. Say hello to Zach, our Common Raven.
Birding in Rhode Island
Stay involved with Audubon's birding programs and resources:
Audubon Avian Research Initiative →
Recent Bird Sightings (eBird) →
Red-bellied Woodpecker by Jason Major
Stormwater Innovation Center
Roger Williams Park is home to the Stormwater Innovation Center. The Center has been developed by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and its partners! Learn more about the nature-based solutions we are using to learn about and protect urban water quality.
