In The News!

February 25, 2025 - SOU News

Rogue Buzzway gardens grow with SOU partnership

The Rogue Buzzway – an interactive map that represents southern Oregon’s pollinator corridors – has bounced back following a steep decline caused by the 2020 Almeda Fire, under the leadership of recent SOU Environmental Science & Policy graduate Leo Helm. Helm, who graduated last fall and is the latest in a succession of SOU interns ..... Read more here.

February 2025 - Talent News & Review

Collaboration with Southern Oregon University Creates Visual Pollinator "Buzzway" Corridor

Get caught up on the story behind the Buzzway and the Buzzway StoryMap in this article written by Leo Helm, PPRV's current SOU Buzzway intern.

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February 4, 2025 - KOBI-5

Jackson County nonprofits awarded $50K for conservation efforts

We are thrilled to be one of the nonprofits recognized for creating positive change in Oregon! Many thanks to the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) and Oregon Community Foundation for their amazing and much needed support to make Oregon a great state to live and bee! The BottleDrop of OBRC is an awesome and important partnership, making a difference in many ways. We are grateful.

February 6, 2025 - The Oregonian/OregonLive

Pollinator garden brings ‘flowers, color and life’ to southern Oregon home rebuilt after fire

Wow, what a beautiful story by Janet Eastman highlighting one of our From Fire to Flowers Pollinator Gardens, and the impact just one garden can have.
“They planted love for me,” said Cruz. “There was no life, no bugs here, and now I’m seeing flowers, insects and birds like American goldfinch, dark-eyed juncos and black-cap chickadees.” Click here to read the article.

February 1, 2025 - Sneak Preview Ashland
Conservation Corner - Keeping it Cool with Pollinator Gardens

Thanks to Marnie Koopman for inviting PPRV to write a guest article in her monthly column in the Ashland Sneak! Climate change is impacting pollinators, too, as weather events become more extreme in all seasons. Ironically, although this article focused on the affects from extreme heat, it was published just prior to the largest and longest snowfall in Southern Oregon in decades. Click here to read the article.

January 13, 2025 - Pollinator Health@OSU | PolliNation
279 - Southern Oregon Buzzway | PolliNation

We recently had a great conversation with Dr. Andony Melathopoulos of OSU's PoilliNation (and also Associate Professor of Pollinator Health - Extension for the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University) about our 'cool tool' to help everyone see where pollinator gardens are - or aren't. Listen in to find out what GIS is, why it matters, and how the Rogue Buzzway map is making a difference for pollinators in S. Oregon - and beyond. The Buzzway is a collaborative project with Southern Oregon University.

January 8, 2025 - Jefferson Public Radio
Pollinator gardens rise from the ashes of the Almeda Fire
What a beautiful story by Juliet Grable about our From Fire to Flowers Pollinator Garden program and how these gardens are providing recovery and restoration to the fire-scarred communities rebuilding after the 2020 Fire. Listen to the audio version for a different perspective. We hope this story will inspire other communities to consider ways they can respond to disasters, and help both the people and the pollinators.

This story was subsequently picked up by Oregon Public Broadcasting and Environment Oregon.

December 18, 2024 - KDRV-12
Creating a superhighway for pollinators: Rogue Valley Pollinator Project unveils Buzzway story map
Rocky Walker talks with Leo Helm, SOU Buzzway Intern, and Dr. Jamie Trammell in SOU's GIS department, about how the Buzzway map is helping both pollinators and people in Southern Oregon. Visit the Buzzway here.

November 23, 2024 - KDRV-12
Behind the Change: A sit down conversation with The Pollinator Project

Kristina spoke with Rocky Walker to share a behind the scenes look into the work we do, from educating the next generation to Almeda fire recovery.

November 19, 2024 - KOBI-5

Pollinator Project Rogue Valley launches year end fundraiser

We enjoyed our visit with Emily Storm to talk about what we do to help save the pollinators! From planting gardens at schools and for fire-survivors to education and outreach to our Rogue Buzzway map!

March 26, 2024 - KOBI-5
Sunrise with Pollinator Project Rogue Valley

Kristina was up with the Sunrise, talking with Marcus of KOBI about pollinators, springtime, and some of our upcoming events!

January 31, 2024 - KOBI-5
Pollinator Project Rogue Valley encourages biodiversity education

We love this short story by Natalie Sirna about what we do, and why! "

PHOENIX, Ore. – Pollinator Project Rogue Valley is a nonprofit making a lot of buzz. The volunteer-led organization is striving to educate citizens on native plant gardens, for the purpose of attracting native pollinators.

September 8, 2023 - Ashland.news
Rising from the ashes: From Fire to Flowers program offers free gardens for Almeda survivors

We talk with Morgan Rothborne about why we are offering this program to the community, and what it means to the people, the pollinators, and the restoration of community after the fire.

November 28, 2023 - JPR's Jefferson Exchange
Post-fire rebuilding for the pollinators

Join Tiina Beaver and Kristina Lefever of PPRV in the studio, talking with Geoff Riley! "The Almeda fire of September 2020 left lingering scars. Some are indeed healing, as homes are rebuilt and plants sprout up where the fire killed trees and brush. Animal habitats as well as homes for people were destroyed, and Pollinator Project Rogue Valley is giving a boost to people who want to get back into pollinator gardens."

September 23, 2024 - Jefferson Exchange on Jefferson Public Radio

Mike Greene hosts Ethan Robison and Kristina Lefever to learn about our Pollinator Pals program and some of the projects we have coming up.

January 23, 2024 - KDRV

Thanks to Liv Collum for the lovely article to cover our award! Pollinator Project receives $12,500 to grow youth education program

January 22, 2024 - PPRV
Read our press release sharing the news about our grant award from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation on January 19, 2024, for our Pollinator Pals program.

January 9, 2024 - Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation

PPRV is honored and thrilled to be a recipient of the Foundation's awards for the second year! The Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation (CCUIF) awards $817,330 to 83 charities in SW Oregon in their fall round of giving, tto non-profits from Coos, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, and Lane Counties.

April 14, 2023 - Umpqua Watersheds

Episode 57 of Living Downstream features Ethan Robison in his role as Pollinator Education and Outreach Specialist serving at Pollinator Project Rogue Valley and Teighan Carnagey in his role as Community Engagement Leader serving at UCAN. At 25:00, listen in on a conversation about pollinators! Learn more in this article Ethan quotes, Feed the bees and shade the streams: riparian shrubs planted for restoration provide forage for native bees. Mitchell, DeBano, S. J., Rowland, M. M., & Burrows, S. (2022), Restoration Ecology, 30(3).

January 17, 2023 - The Jefferson Exchange/Jefferson Public Radio

Cow Creek Band gives money to Pollinator Project for bee aid

Pollinator Project Rogue Valley recently received a grant from the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians to bolster programs for bees and other pollinators. The grant is earmarked for the Pollinator Pals program, getting kids involved in enhancing habitat for pollinators.

January 13, 2023 - KTVL Staff

Local pollinator organization receives grant to fund youth education

January 11, 2023 - PPRV
Our press release sharing the news about our grant award from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation on January 11, 2023, for our Pollinator Pals program. We were also the recipient of the 2023 Martha Young Award.

Canyonville - KOBI Staff

Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation donates to Jackson County nonprofits

Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation's Press Release -
"Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation Gives $785,806 to Sixty-nine Charities in Southwestern Oregon"

Many thanks to Wanda Borland for making these videos possible - and professional!

2020 - In Our Gardens!

Please click here to visit Our Gardens! page and enjoy the videos about how we are transforming landscapes and gardens into pollinator havens, full of native plants all year round.

March 2019

In this short PSA, Kristina explains the harm from the use of neonicotinoids in relation to legislation submitted during the 2019 Oregon Session that would have labeled neonicotinoids Restricted Use Pesticides. We'll try again.

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April 2019
Kristina Lefever talks about pollinators, gardens, and pesticides, and why it all matters, in this 14 minute video filmed at the RVTV studio.

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July 2019
In this episode of RVTV's A FOCUS On, host Julia Babb talks with Pollinator Project Rogue Valley president, Kristina Lefever, about the things we can do to support pollinators in the Rogue Valley.

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July 2019
RVTV's A FOCUS On host, Julia Babb, and Kristina Lefever, president of Pollinator Project Rogue Valley, talk about the massive decline of our pollinating allies and the dire role pesticides play in this decline.

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July 2019

In this short PSA, Kristina and Jarrett Taylor, GIS student at SOU, share how our Rogue Buzzway Project is mapping pollinator corridors in the Rogue Valley. Please tell us where your pollinator garden is!

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September, 2018, Garden Beet

Kristina Lefever wrote a lovely article about the Rogue Buzzway
for the Jackson County Master Gardener Association newsletter.

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June 11, 2018, Mail Tribune

Tony Boom wrote this article, 'Project creating Rogue Valley 'buzzway map', about our Rogue Buzzway project!

"An online pollinator corridor map is being compiled with the goal of inspiring a Rogue Valley “buzzway.”

Pollinator Project Rogue Valley is mapping pollinator-friendly landscapes with help from Southern Oregon University students and a foundation grant. Property owners are requested to complete an online questionnaire to provide data."