Our Work in
Environmental Conservation
& Regeneration
Kristina Lefever
“We want people to know why pollinators matter – not only because our food security and ecosystems depend on them, but because their mere presence brings magic to the world.”
Kristina Lefever is passionate about pollinators. “They are as important as sunlight, rain, and soil fertility, for the health of both human lives and natural ecosystems,” she explains. She and her fellow volunteers at The Pollinator Project in Oregon want people to understand that urbanization and fewer wild areas, combined with an increasing use of pesticides, are the two primary reasons behind the critical decline in bees and insects over the last two decades.
Kristina received a seed grant from The Pollination Project in 2018 for the “Rogue Buzzway Project,” a corridor they are mapping of pollinator habitats in close proximity. This will allow The Pollinator Project to identify areas that lack pollinator-friendly plantings, educate the community about native plants, and build a thriving pollinator population.
Adhith Swaminathan
“I’ve been fascinated with sea turtles since I was 11 years old. The key to saving them is sparking that same curiosity in others.”
The Andaman and Nicobar islands are the only remaining site in India where leatherback sea turtles still nest, and these beaches are home to at least three other turtle species.
For over ten years, researcher and “turtle evangelist” Adhith Swaminathan has monitored sea turtle nesting habits on these islands. Now, these beaches are projected to experience a rapid rise in tourism-related development, bringing threats like nest disturbance and artificial light.
The Pollination Project partnered with Adhith and his team for community outreach to schools and colleges on turtle conservation and how far individual action can go in protecting these species.
They are also educating state wildlife officials on best practices in nest relocation, and other strategies to strengthen conservation efforts.
Cynthia Frame-Endres
“Sustainability begins with each and every one of us, and each and every choice we make.”
Cynthia is a mother who tries to make sustainable choices whenever she can. When her children’s toys were burning through batteries, Cynthia didn’t understand why battery recycling wasn’t available.
After years of frustration, she decided to take action. Her “Coalition of Positively Charged People” is building a model program to educate community members about battery recycling.
The Pollination Project supported her work by providing funding to purchase household battery recycling collection bins, which she introduced through educational meetings at schools, museums and festivals. Through the course of her work, she has become an integral community organizer for the sustainability movement.
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