At a meeting, a commenter encouraged Cobb County residents to help the Great Southeast Pollinator Census this August, saying the count takes about 15 minutes and helps track pollinator populations.

The commenter said the census began in 2019 and is used to gauge whether pollinator populations are maintaining, growing or declining. “I think everybody's aware that we need our pollinators to maintain our food supplies,” the commenter said, adding concern about pollinators’ role in corn, bean and wheat production.

The speaker explained how to participate: “All it takes is 15 minutes. You find a particular plant, whether it be a flower or a vegetable. And for 15 minutes, you count and keep track of the pollinators that you see,” the commenter said, and directed listeners to the Great Southeast Pollinator Census website and the Cobb County Master Gardeners website for more information.

A second speaker thanked volunteers and said the Master Gardeners of Cobb County will host a virtual webinar before the census on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. She said registration information would be provided in the video description. No formal actions, votes or directives were recorded during these remarks.

Why it matters: the speakers framed the census as a simple volunteer survey used to monitor insects that pollinate crops and garden plants; they warned that declines in pollinator populations could affect local agricultural production. The announcement provided event timing (August for the census; a webinar on Aug. 12) and participation instructions (15-minute counts at a single plant).