Interest and enthusiasm in Minnesota pollinator conservation programs has escalated over the past decade, leading to new programs, funding and policies to protect pollinators. While this is a promising trend, seemingly apolitical policies and funding allocation, like programs to plant flowers for bees, may inadvertently exacerbate racial and socioeconomic inequalities and lead to an inequitable distribution of resources for these projects. For example, patterns of land ownership, different preferences and opportunities for “gardens” between neighborhoods, and the largely white and middle-upper class demographics of program staff and policymakers may all skew participation and benefits of pollinator programs towards certain groups. However, pollinator conservation efforts may also offer important opportunities to address structural inequities, enact and support local environmental justice initiatives, and envision more just futures for people and for pollinators. My research focuses on 1) how different stakeholders in pollinator conservation efforts and environmental justice engage with issues of equity and environmental justice in their programs and 2) explores policy successes and challenges to address these issues. Using well-established qualitative research methods from social science, I interviewed 62 stakeholders involved in pollinator conservation in Minnesota with a focus on the Twin Cities metro area. I am applying thematic coding analysis of interview data to learn how different groups are navigating the complexities of policy processes and community engagement. The results of this project inform policy recommendations to center equity and environmental justice through policy and funding processes and more intentional outreach and relationship building in pollinator conservation and gardening programs.
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