Healthy Habitats and Productive Pollinators

June 18, 2026
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Crossroads Village
6140 N. Bray Rd, Flint, MI 48505

About the event

Join Michigan State University Extension (MSU Extension) for a new and exciting one-day event about wild bees that pollinate vegetables, fruits, and wildflowers. This event includes 3 morning lectures from entomologists with expertise in wild bees and an afternoon of interactive breakout sessions on wild bee identification, photography, and habitat design. If you are looking for ideas to enhance habitat that supports pollinators, come join us at this event! Attendees will learn about Michigan wild pollinators and actions to support them in residential and community garden spaces.

Registration fee: $65

Registration includes lunch, snacks, and admission to Crossroads Village (closes at 5 p.m.).

Registration deadline: June 4 or when event reaches capacity.

Cancellation policy: Sorry, no refunds. Substitutions are allowed. 

Michigan Extension Master Gardeners are eligible to receive 5.5 continuing education hours.

Morning lectures

• The latest buzz on bee research presented by Elaine Evans, PhD, University of Minnesota Department of Entomology
• Long-term trends of bumble bees in Michigan and easy ways to support local populations presented by Logan Rowe, Michigan Natural Features Inventory
• Supporting crop pollinators in urban spaces through research and extension presented by Jennifer Roedel and Karma Thomas, MSU Department of Entomology

Afternoon breakout sessions

Registrants will have the option to choose to attend up to 3 breakout sessions. These sessions include:

• Best practices for photographing bees on flowers and useful platforms to submit bee observations, presented by Logan Rowe, Michigan Natural Features Inventory
• Native bee habitat management for urban farms and gardens, presented by Jennifer Roedel and Karma Thomas, MSU Department of Entomology
• Planting containers for pollinators, presented by Lindsey Kerr, MSU Extension
• Native plant landscaping walk, presented by Carolyn Miller, MSU Arboretum
• Pollinator identification and field walk, presented by David Lowenstein, PhD, MSU Extension
• Pollinator protection from pesticides, presented by Ana Heck, MSU Extension 
• Pollinator education toolkit, presented by Elaine Evans, PhD, University of Minnesota

Acknowledgement

Funding for this event is supported by the Crop Protection and Pest Management Program [grant no 2024-70006-43569] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.  

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.