I. News: We are happy to announce another year of funding from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) for our research on St. Louis Bees, Lawns, Plants, & People. This award will cover (1) the summer 2017 bee sampling season at all 30 city-wide sites. Currently the count of unique bee species in St. Louis is 175! A scientific paper about the “bees of St. Louis” is coming later this year. Although, we will not to push our academic papers on you.
(2) The funding also includes working with residents in Ward 23 (Southampton/Tilles/Lindenwood Parks) and Holly Hills neighborhoods to encourage planting for insect pollinators in yards, lawns, home gardens, and nearby greenspaces. This year, instead of formal bee informational workshops (see talk video here, pdf of slides, and talk transcript) in Ward 23 and Holly Hills neighborhoods, we want to hear from you and your neighbors in greater detail.
II. Summer 2017 Research Needs from Holly Hills & Ward 23 (Southampton/Northampton area/Lindenwood Park) Residents
1. We are looking for small groups of adjacent neighbors (3-7+ persons) to talk to us about your neighborhood, its history, and your local lawn, garden, and yard practices. We want to talk with a mix of neighbors in Holly Hills and Ward 23 (Southampton/Northampton area) who may have diverse yards:
relatively neglected yards
golf-course-style turf-grass lawns
highly landscaped yards
or lawns or yards going “native”
We want to hear from you and your nearby neighbors, whether you know them well or not. We want to hear from a mix of both long-time neighborhood residents and newcomers.
Interested in participating? Please email us at aburr1@slu.edu by July 31, 2017 with your name, address, and contact info. We will then schedule a time to visit with you and your neighbors at a time convenient for you.
2. Also, to understand the history of these two neighborhoods and how the neighborhoods have changed over time, we are looking for old photographs of people’s lawns, gardens, yards, and greenspaces over time in Holly Hills and Ward 23. Have photos of your yard from the 1990s? The 1970s? The 1950s? We want to see them! Please email Andrea Burr (aburr1@slu.edu) if interested. We would love to scan the photos and return them in original condition.
III. Finally, below is a picture of our field research team (minus 7 students who could not make the photo) made up mostly of Saint Louis University undergraduate and graduate students as well as area university students and students from other universities who summer in STL.
Learn more: http://www.sustainabilitysciencelab.org/bees.html
Thanks for your interest in our research.
Cheers, Salud, Salute, Santé, and/or Prost!
Damon Hall, Gerardo Camilo, and the lab