Pollinator Steward Certification

PLEASE NOTE: Registration for the 2024 Pollinator Steward Certification Program is now closed.

We are excited to announce that we will be running our virtual Pollinator Steward Certification (PSC) training again in 2024! PSC empowers people with the scientific know-how to make a real difference for pollinators, people, and the planet

Topics include an introduction to the wonderful world of pollinators, how they live and thrive, threats to pollinators, and how we all can help. Details will be provided on habitat creation for pollinators in many landscapes including parks, rights-of-way, urban gardens, and farms. Additional information on pollinator identification and how to spread your knowledge will be provided.

This course is ideal for home gardeners, land managers (large and small), farmers, and anyone that wants to do more to support pollinators. Join our growing community of Certified Pollinator Stewards!

Training

The training component of Certification involves in person learning, online modules, or a hybrid. Training is flexible and can meet the needs and interests of different groups. To achieve certification, participants must demonstrate understanding of the following components, which comprise approximately 10 hours of training with additional discussion/question periods. Only Pollinator Partnership Canada can award the P2C Pollinator Steward Certification.

Training must include:

  • Pollinator Basics: pollination ecology, information on main pollinators, focus on bees (managed and native), conservation issues, habitat needs, how to help
  • Indigenous Perspectives: Indigenous knowledge, history, culture, relationships and considerations in your region
  • Selecting Plants for Pollinators: information on coevolution, and consideration of local environment, history, habitat and native plants
  • Habitat enhancement techniques: options from preservation, enhancement, and maintaining habitat for pollinators with practical details. This section can include several modules on creating and maintaining specific habitat types (eg, meadows, wetlands, hedgerows, urban etc)
  • Identifying and Monitoring Pollinators: how to tell bees, flies, and wasps apart, some of the main bee groups, and how to monitoring pollinator populations formally and informally
  • Outreach and Education: learn options for spreading your knowledge and inspiring others

The following components are recommended:

  • Planning, budgeting, barriers, and implementation
  • In-depth exploration of other pollinator groups (eg butterflies, beetles)
  • Artificial pollinator nesting habitat (bee houses)

Follow-up

In order to receive Pollinator Steward Certification and the ability to use the stamp, follow up activities are required within 6 months of completion of the training modules (up to one year will be considered if activities are dependent on season). Follow up activities are in two categories: 1. Habitat and 2. Education/Outreach. To be certified, demonstration of at least one activity from each category is required. Existing activities (initiated before the workshop) are eligible on a case-by-case basis in consultation with Pollinator Partnership Canada or a designated representative.

Examples of eligible enhancement activities include:

Habitat Actions
Outreach Actions

Creation of pollinator habitat; any size, any
location

Creating and disseminating pollinator and garden signage

Removal of invasive plant species

Connecting with other community members and schools to spread pollinator education

Alteration of management practices to promote pollinator health

Art/science outreach through crafts and installations

Customized Pollinator Steward Certification Training Session!

Interested in an organizational or community-wide certification training?

Pollinator Partnership Canada staff can organize and conduct virtual or in-person training for your group. Cost is dependent on amount of logistics P2C is required to carry out (new content required, venue, local expert speakers, site visit etc).

Please contact stewards@pollinator.org with any questions, or to discuss developing a training session or hosting a workshop for your group.

Use of the Pollinator Steward Certification Stamp

Once participants have completed the workshop and P2C has confirmed the Habitat and Education criteria have been met, the Steward will receive a high-resolution Pollinator Steward stamp. This stamp can only be used by the individual that was certified. The certified individual can not transfer the stamp or certification to anyone else, nor are they able to certify other individuals. The Pollinator Steward Certification (and stamp) show that the individual has a science and lifecycle based understanding of pollinator needs, and understands habitat creation according to those principles. For example, the certified individual can include the stamp on correspondence, email signatures, resumes, and on social media. Contact us if you are interested in certification for an organization.