Eight Grady County 4-H’ers installed a pollinator garden at a local school as part of a yearlong program highlighting the importance of pollinators.

Following the onset of several major outbreaks of foodborne pathogens traced back to wildlife, buyers of farm-fresh produce began encouraging the removal of natural habitats and nesting areas on farms to discourage wildlife intrusion.

Friday kicks off the second annual Great Georgia Pollinator Census coordinated by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.

A study by the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and collaborators at The Nature Conservancy and Washington State University challenges the notion that native bird species only belong in wooded habitats. This study has found that diversified farms are mutually beneficial for producers and native wildlife, creating a system where conservation and production are equal priorities.

Each spring, thousands of K-12 students attend environmental education camps at Georgia 4-H facilities across the state. They hold snakes, hike through creeks and marshes, visit historic sites and enjoy nature; all with a goal of learning about the environment. Since the COVID-19 outbreak has public schools closed, school buses parked and Georgians sheltered in place, the Georgia 4-H Environmental Education Program is now being offered virtually.

If something is digging holes in your yard, you might need to set up a trail camera to catch the animal in the act. Once the animal is identified, then you can begin to control it.

University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agent Jessica Warren is doing her part to knock down populations of invasive snails in Camden County.

This August, more than 900 Georgians will make history by participating in the first citizen-powered census of pollinators in the United States.

In three months, an army of citizen scientists across the state will undertake a first-of-its-kind pollinator count across Georgia. To prepare for the Great Georgia Pollinator Census this August, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is offering a few summer reading suggestions for citizen scientists of all ages.