Hargest touts importance of bees in advance of Pollinator Day

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

September 4, 2019 Cooperative Extension, Outreach, UMaine in the News

Pamela Hargest, a University of Maine Cooperative Extension horticulturist, told the Portland Press Herald that Maine’s native bee populations are doing well and that it’s important to keep it that way. Maine is home to more than 270 species of native bees, many of which pollinate food crops. Showcasing the importance of pollinators is important “when development is on the rise and natural habitats are being disturbed in southern Maine,” Hargest says, adding that “today, (too) many of the plants in our landscape are either not native or have been heavily bred for certain characteristics and therefore they’re often lacking those valuable qualities that native species need to thrive.” Cooperative Extension is partnering with Falmouth Land Trust to host Pollinator Day 2–4 p.m. Sept. 7, at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth. The free, public event will feature hands-on activities that highlight the vital role of pollinators in the food system, as well as information about supporting pollinator populations and creating wildlife corridors.