Winona State University will host Pollinator Week April 13 – 17 as part of the 2014-2015 Sustainable Futures University Theme.
Pollinator Week seeks to raise awareness of the vital importance of bees and other pollinators to human life, the ecosystem, and the sustainability of agriculture. This weeklong celebration is a joint effort of WSU and The Winona Area Pollinators, an organization that seeks to make Winona a “bee-friendly” city.
At 8 p.m. Monday, April 13, in Science Laboratory Center 120, there will be a film screening of “Queen of the Sun: What Are The Bees Telling Us?” This documentary is a profound, alternative look at the problems and solutions of the global bee crisis.
From 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, at Ed’s No-Name Bar, Scott Leddy of Meadowlark Restoration will host a lecture on The Great Diversity of Native Pollinators followed by a bee-focused Beer Club meeting.
At 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, in Science Laboratory Center 120, Ladislav Hanka will give a public lecture on his unique artistic collaboration with bees entitled “The Great Wall of Bees: A Confluence of Printmaking and Beekeeping.” This lecture will be followed by a reception from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Watkins Gallery.
At 7 p.m. Thursday, April 16, in Science Laboratory Center 120, Marla Spivak will give a lecture on “Honeybee Social Immunity,” followed by a public reception. Spivak is a McArthur Fellowship Recipient, a Ted Talk speaker, and one of the nation’s greatest bee experts.
From 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 17, the Winona Arts Center will host the Pollinator Party. The evening will begin with a reception of prints and poems by WSU students, followed by pollinator-related songs, poetry and open mic. Refreshments will be served.
The 2014-2015 Sustainable Futures theme aims to raise awareness among students, faculty and community leaders about the challenges of facing a future that will require a much greater awareness of the costs of growth, such as climate change, soil and water scarcity, and high energy cost. It also aims to promote dialogue about possible solutions, including alternatives to the cultural philosophy of growth at any cost and to provide opportunities for the demonstration and examination of sustainable living solutions.
For more information, contact James Armstrong at JArmstrong@winona.edu.
