(Nelsonville, OH) -- Did you know that three-fourths of the world's flowering plants and about 35 percent of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce?
It is National Pollinator Week, and officials with the Wayne National Forest are holding an event this weekend to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them.
Amateur and professional photographers are invited to document bees, beetles, butterflies and other insects that are visiting the Wayne's pollinator garden, which will serve as the backdrop for the event. Many of the plants used to start the garden were rescued from the footprint of the Nelsonville Bypass before construction began.
Participants will need to bring their cameras and enthusiasm. Any camera – even smart phone cameras – will work. All who attend are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather, including bringing a hat and sunscreen.
Through the use of photographs, biologists will be able to identify many of the insects and collect information on what insects are visiting the garden and providing pollination.
The Wayne National Forest invites the public to the free two-session pollinator workshop. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the Wayne National Forest headquarters building in Nelsonville.
