Status of Pollinators in North America

Status of pollinators in North America, new from the National Research Council (NRC), assesses population trends among bees, birds, bats, and other animals and insects that spread pollen so plant fertilization can occur.

European studies have documented declines of certain pollinator species, raising concerns that crop yields could drop or that ecosystems could be disrupted as a result. And last year, honeybees -- millions of colonies of which are leased by farmers to ensure pollination -- had to be imported from outside North America for the first time in decades because of a shortage in the U.S.

The report released in conjunction with a North American Pollinator Protection Campaign meeting held at the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Oct. 18. Research Council committee member GENE ROBINSON, director of the neuroscience program and G. William Arends Professor of Integrative Biology at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, presented the report's findings at the meeting. Also at the meeting, USDA announced a public awareness campaign, and the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a "pollination" stamp series.

"Although there is "no strong evidence for a current pollination crisis," there may be one looming, reports an NRC committee led by entomologist May Berenbaum of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign." (Science, 20 October, p. 397)

Photo credit: U.S. Postal Service

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, is a journalist focused on family, nature, and community.

His latest book addresses the critical links between access to nature and healthy childhood development, and to the physical and mental health of children and adults. In Last Child in the Woods, Louv makes the connection between an absence of nature and trends such as attention-deficit disorder, obesity and depression, and addresses the barriers between children and nature and what can be done to remove them.

Louv, currently a columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune who has also written for the New York Times, The Washington Post and other newspapers and magazines, has been addressing environmental issues in his work since the 1970s and is also the author of The Web of Life and 101 Things You Can Do for Our Children's Future.

He will speak at Lutkin Hall on the campus of Northwestern University from 7-8pm on November 15, and will be available to sign books afterward. The event is free but space is limited; reserve your seat by calling 312-580-2137 or send an e-mail to cbendowitz@chicagowilderness.org. This event is sponsored by the Chicago Wilderness consortium and the Chicago Park District.

Louv's book, Last Child in the Woods is available in the CZS-Brookfield Zoo Library collection via SWAN: http://swan.sls.lib.il.us.

For more information:
Richard Louv
Biophilia Hypothesis
Grist interview with Louv
Salon.com interview with Louv

Conservation Psychology

ANNOUNCING THE ONLINE PUBLICATION OF:

Teaching Psychology for Sustainability: A Manual of Resources

by Britain A. Scott and Susan M. Koger

This instructor's resource is now online at www.teachgreenpsych.com.

The site includes:

• An Overview with a list of general resources that identify connections between psychology and environmental issues;
• Instructor Resources (including lecture and discussion topics, class activities, multimedia resources, and suggested readings for students) organized by psychology subdisciplines;
• Comprehensive Site Bibliography with links to publisher sites for authored books and tables of contents for edited volumes;
• Compendium of Syllabi from instructors who currently teach psychology for sustainability.

Creation of the site was supported by a 2005 Instructional Resource Award from the Office of Teaching Resources in Psychology (OTRP). OTRP provides an online link to the site under the header "Conservation Psychology" in their list of Teaching Resources at http://www.lemoyne.edu/OTRP/index.html.