Three Key Findings from First-of-its-Kind Study on NRCS Conservation Practices and U.S. Pollinators

Native bees, honey bees, birds, bats, and other animals pollinate more than 100 U.S. crops and are critical to our food supply. USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) and Virginia Tech collaborated on a first-of-its-kind study to evaluate the impacts of NRCS’s voluntary conservation practices on pollinator habitat nationwide. The associated report was published in June 2024. Here are three key findings to inform data-driven decision making for pollinator conservation.

1. NRCS offers more than 50 conservation practices that benefit pollinators.

Experts with NRCS, Virginia Tech, and The Xerces Society assessed NRCS’s voluntary conservation practices for pollinator benefits. Table 1 of the report (pages 9-10) highlights the 51 practices experts determined most likely to benefit pollinators.

“We know the loss of grasslands, shrublands, forests, and other seminatural habitat is a major driver of pollinator declines,” says Dr. Elissa Olimpi, a lead author on the study. “No previous assessments have synthesized the nationwide impacts of NRCS pollinator conservation efforts, so we first worked with experts to identify and rank 51 practices that benefit pollinator habitat by increasing the availability of floral and nesting resources.” Of these, 11 “core and supporting practices” are specifically designed for pollinators or are frequently used to supplement pollinator resources.

According to Charlie Rewa, CEAP Wildlife Lead with NRCS, knowing the value of specific conservation practices for pollinators is a critical first step. “Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners interested in pollinator conservation can consider these practices as a jumping off point,” says Rewa. “NRCS conservationists in nearly every county across the U.S. are available to share landscape-specific insights on conservation covers, field borders, tree and shrub establishments, and other practices we know contribute to pollinator habitat.”

2. Findings verify the effectiveness of these conservation practices in supporting pollinators.

Habitat is a key focus for conservationists and pollinator-minded agricultural producers alike. This study quantifies the effectiveness of NRCS conservation practices in creating or restoring seminatural habitat – areas including pasture/hay/grass, shrubland, forest land, and wetlands – deemed useful for pollinators. Findings indicate the 51 NRCS conservation practices of focus account for 2.5% of the nation’s seminatural habitat and 3.9% of the national pollinator supply. Comparing these two numbers highlights an NRCS success.

“You can think of pollinator supply as the total number of pollinators nationwide,” says Dr. Olimpi. “We found the contribution of NRCS conservation practices to the national pollinator supply, 3.9%, is high compared to the contribution of NRCS practices to seminatural habitat, 2.5%. Functionally, this indicates an acre of seminatural habitat established using NRCS conservation practices generally provides more benefit for pollinators than an acre of average seminatural habitat established without NRCS involvement.”

Rewa emphasizes the importance of these findings for NRCS. “These data validate our confidence in the science behind our conservation efforts,” he says. “Land managers who work with us receive one-on-one technical support customized to their unique conservation and production goals. Put simply, pollinator-focused NRCS conservation practices are effective in doing what they’re intended to do and have measurable outcomes for pollinators nationwide.”

3. We can improve outcomes for pollinators by prioritizing conservation efforts.

Conservation practices nationwide are generally most beneficial for pollinators in areas with 1 to 20% existing seminatural habitat. Areas with less than 1% existing habitat may not have significant potential for pollinators given the lack of pollinators in the area that may benefit. Those with greater than 20% existing habitat may already have abundant nesting and foraging resources. Land managers and conservationists may use this insight to prioritize conservation efforts nationwide.

Additionally, this study identifies six regions where the demand for pollinators by pollination-dependent crops is expected to be higher than the supply of pollinators due to recent losses in seminatural habitat and projected future losses. A map on page 18 of the report (Figure 6) identifies these areas in California’s Central Valley; Central Washington; parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas in the Southern Great Plains; Western Michigan; Texas’s Gulf Coast; and parts of Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey on the East Coast. Table 3 (pages 20-21) provides additional details on each region. Prioritizing NRCS conservation practices in these regions, especially by considering existing seminatural habitat and pollination needs of the region’s crops, can improve outcomes for pollinators. 

Learn More and Find Your Local Service Center

Our June 2024 Conservation Outcomes Webinar featured Dr. Olimpi presenting on the science and major findings from this study. You may access the one-hour webinar recording here. All associated resources are available under the Past Webinars with Resources section at the bottom of our Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage.

You may find contact information for your local NRCS office by selecting your state and county in our Service Center Locator. NRCS staff are available to visit your operation and provide free technical expertise on opportunities to meet your unique production and conservation goals, including those to support pollinator habitat. They may also share information about our voluntary conservation programs, like the Conservation Stewardship Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program that deliver cost share for eligible producers to support implementation of NRCS conservation practices. Learn more about the practices found in this study and more through our Conservation at Work video series.