This Is Not Our Next Newsletter
We had no plans to include anything about a torrential fire in our next newsletter. Nothing about evacuations, nothing about destruction, nothing about the incredible changes we have seen in our Valley from one day to the next, and the next, and the next. It’s now been over a week since the fire storm began.
We had planned to write about our upcoming plant sale … and how well our
native pollinator garden is doing … and the seeds we’ve been collecting from those plants …. and other events that are happening, even with COVID.
But all of that is for naught, at least for now.
Our hearts hurt for all the people whose lives are forever altered by the Almeda Fire. Homes and businesses, not to mention lives of people and animals, have been lost.
Our board member, Ruby Reid of Valhalla Organics, is one of the way-too-many unfortunate residents now in the process of recovery from an instantaneous total loss of her home and business. Please visit her Go Fund Me page if you would like to support.
This community is amazing. People are stepping up in unprecedented ways to help,
all over the Valley. Thanks to our awesome, Rep. Marsh, here is a long list of resources for collecting and distributing funds, services, and donations.
We recommend that everyone sign up with Jackson County’s Citizen Alert,
Nixle.com (really, only for Ashland?), and perhaps Pulsepoint Respond,
a new alert service.
We have found Facebook to be an excellent way of keeping up to date on the fire situation, checking in with friends, viewing photos and videos, finding out about local happenings, connecting with organizations who are contributing to the recovery, and more. If you are not on Facebook, this may be a good time to join.
A few videos of the fire’s aftermath taken by citizen reporters were posted on our Facebook page. This heart-wrenching 30 minute ‘fly-over’ of the Valley was shot on September 8. And, if you are in for more tragedy, this article from MSN.com shows before and after pictures of Talent and Phoenix.
Yes, we - Beyond Toxics, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley, and Essential Three - are fortunate. Our building survived the fire! And with the good news that some parts of Phoenix are beginning to open up for residents to return, we'll visit soon. It's quite possible our side pollinator garden was burned in a spot fire.
Of course, beyond our office, too many green spaces, gardens and landscapes, which were providing so much to people, pollinators, birds, and more, have vanished.
We will be there to help rebuild and replant.
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Pollinators' Picks
Just a reminder that insects have been dealing with fires for millennia.
In fact, fires are an important and necessary part of the ecosystem,
providing benefit to many species.
This reassuring article from The Wildlife Society reports that
scientists "found that the most severely burned areas [in the Douglas Complex Fire]
had 20 times more bees compared to the least severely burned areas. These severe areas also had more flowering plants and more diversity of bee species overall."
And even Monarchs should be able to handle the smoke. Here’s a note from David James in the Department of Entomology at Washington State University to Robert Coffan of Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates, also reassuring us: “... tagging data from previous S OR fire/smoke events …. show that monarchs released into hazardous, smoky air are just as able to reach overwintering sites and live long lives, as those released into clean air! These data will be in a paper I’m currently preparing for publication. My thoughts are with you all down there. David”
Find inspiration in this article about the work David is doing and his 2018 study
about the migratory Monarch.
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Looking Forward
As rebuilding begins, we sincerely hope city leaders will work with community experts
to create better, more livable and sustainable homes, cityscapes, communities,
and greenspaces for all residents, rich and poor alike …. and pollinators, too.
Let’s use this opportunity to plant back with as many native trees, shrubs,
flowering plants, grasses, and bulbs and tubers as possible.
Let’s consider the use of insecticides and herbicides and the harm they cause to
all creatures - human and winged alike.
We have plant lists, resources, and sources on our website that will be helpful.
We want to help increase the supply of native plants and nurseries here in the Valley,
to make them available to cities, developers, parks, governmental agencies,
schools, businesses, and more.
Yes, we have hope for the future, even in this darkest of times, and we hope you do too. Please enjoy the short clip of a monarch, below.
Have ideas about how we and other pollinator people can help our communities?
Feel free to drop us a line - send us an email or message us through our Facebook page. Let us know how you can help.
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Time is Running Out to Stop Chlorpyrifos!
Its past time to end the use of this toxic pesticide on farms, food,
and even Christmas trees! Please join with us to support Beyond Toxics,
PCUN (Foresters and Farmers United for the Northwest), and many other organizations working to insure the ODA (Oregon Department of Agriculture)
implements new rules to protect Oregon people and wildlife from this
extremely hazardous pesticide.
Chlorpyrifos is used on commonly eaten produce and directly affects farmworkers,
in particular children -- causing severe declines in IQ and neurological impairment.
It is also highly toxic to pollinators and fish and bird - more that 1200 species,
according to a comprehensive study by the US Fish and Wildlife Service
that was blocked from being released last year.
Now is the time to speak up in support of ending the use of chlorpyrifos by 2023.
The comment period ends October 1 - send in your letter!
Find details and talking points here.
Thank you!
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PPRV Seeks Volunteers!
Volunteer with us!
Come help us with all the good things we are doing! Help us spread the word
about pollinators, plants, gardens, (no) pesticides, and more!
We invite you to bee involved!
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Questions or Comments? Please contact us at
pollinator@pollinatorprojectroguevalley.org
Keep up to date with all things Pollinator on our Facebook page:
Pollinator Project Rogue Valley
Thank you, Beyond Toxics,
for acting as our fiscal sponsor and for sharing your office with us!
Office Hours: noon - 5 pm, Tuesday - Friday
and by appointment
312 N. Main St., Suite B, Phoenix
Mail: PO Box 242, Phoenix, OR 97535
458-214-0508
Visit our website.
Click here for archived editions of The Pollinator Times.
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9/16/20
