Parks, Pollinators and People: Do Bees and Butterflies Prefer Higher Income Parks in Denver?

When: August 15, 12-1pm

Where: Virtual

REGISTER HERE!

Join PPAN on August 15th from 12-1pm for our monthly webinar series with expert speaker Nicki Bailey! Pollinators are declining broadly, but city parks may hold the key to their success in urban settings. In this webinar, Bailey will unpack the results of a city-wide study in Denver where she discovered which city parks best support pollinators, and how neighborhood income may be playing a role. In addition to exploring what made some of city parks more successful pollinator habitats than others, she will provide suggestions for management in your own backyard to support the greatest diversity of native bees and butterflies. Representatives from Denver Parks & Rec will also be joining us to discuss how Bailey’s study will impact the future of Denver parks.

Speaker Bios

Nicky Bailey— Nicki Bailey is a Master’s student in Ecology at Colorado State University, working with Dr. John Mola. Her passion for pollinators began during her undergraduate studies at Kalamazoo College studying bumble bees with Dr. Ann Fraser, and it has only grown over the last 5 years. Her master’s thesis investigates the impact of landscape features, neighborhood income, and honeybee abundance on native bee and butterfly biodiversity in Denver parks. Notably, her research identified 36 first-time bee species records in Denver and informed the development of more holistic management recommendations for Denver parks, bridging the gap between urban social structures and plant-insect interactions.

Jessica Andersen— Jessica Andersen has centered her career on connecting people with nature through the built environment. As the Urban Ecology Supervisor with Denver Parks & Recreation she advocates for urban public spaces that benefit humans AND the trees, bees, and ecosystem services that keep Denver a livable city.

Brandon Herman— Brandon is a dedicated urban biodiversity and ecology practitioner guided by research, data, and the art of science storytelling. Trained as a landscape architect and conservation planner, he occupies an increasingly critical niche that seeks to connect contemporary science to the plans, policies, and projects that shape our urban landscapes. As the Senior Urban Ecology Planner with Denver Parks and Recreation, he leads efforts to ensure the park system and open spaces are equitable, resilient to climate change, and successfully support native biodiversity.