Great Sunflower Project

The purpose of the Great Sunflower Project is to collect local data about bee activity. Home, school and community gardens, around the world, produce roughly 15-20% of all the food we eat. Many of the vegetables and flowers must be pollinated before a fruit forms. As headlines for the last few years have made clear, bees (a primary pollinator) are under threat. We know very little about bee activity in home and community gardens and their surrounding environments, but we are certain that they are a crucial link in the survival of native habitats and local produce. Our local pollinator populations require our understanding & protection, and to answer that call we need to determine where and when they are at work.

Volunteer opportunities include:

Timing how long it takes for 5 bees to visit a flower and then enter the data online or mail in a datasheet.

Time Involved: For observations, 15 minutes one day a month while flowers are in bloom (or as frequently as you like), plus 5 minutes to enter data online. Plus time to plant the seeds and set up your account.

Resources Needed: Sunflower seeds (will be mailed to you) and a place to plant them, outdoor thermometer, stopwatch or clock, datasheet (available online)

If interested go to www.greatsunflower.org