Authored by Rachel McClure, Washoe County Master Gardener Coordinator

We had an amazing Pollinator Week in Northern Nevada! This year we had a regional focus, encompassing activities in Carson, Douglas and Washoe Counties. Because our communities are so intertwined we wanted to make this a shared week for all our counties along the HWY 395 Sierra Nevada Corridor. It was great fun.

We held a regional logo contest allowing our youth to create a logo that speaks to pollinators. There was some amazing artwork! We have such talented youth here in Nevada! Ultimately, we chose a logo that met all the requirements and did a beautiful job of illustrating different types of pollinators across our continent.

We had a pollinator movie night in different counties. We screened “My Garden of a Thousand Bees,” a PBS pollinator-themed movie. In Reno it also included a quick tour of the Museum of Natural History before the film.

Those interested were able to participate in a Pollinator Week Bug & Flower Hunt that encouraged all skill levels of gardeners, naturalists, students and families to photograph and record sightings of bees, butterflies, beetles, hummingbirds and other pollinators in their natural habitats, and record the data using the naturalist App.

Pollinator Garden Kits were grown by Extension Master Gardeners for community members interested in plating pollinator gardens.  The kits were $100 and consisted of 16 plants, which were a mix of native varieties, adaptive varieties, perennials and annuals.

Finally, pollinator week culminated with the annual Pollinator Garden Tour. There were Master Gardeners and multiple volunteer docents at each garden to answer questions and many gardens had educational events or activities. Each descent received a commemorative t-shirt for the event. There were gardens in all three counties and was a collaboration of University of Nevada, Reno Extension; Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful; Washoe County Regional Parks & Open Space; City of Reno; Truckee Meadows Community College; the Nevada Native Plant Society; the Biggest Little Bee City USA; the Greenhouse Project; One Truckee River; and Nevada Monarch Society.

We had several hundred participants of the week. Interest and participation in this annual event grew this year. We had a lot of positive feedback from the community and look forward to the program’s growth in the coming years. More information on attracting and protecting pollinators on the Extension’s pollinator resources website.