As Colorado welcomes spring and summer, something special happens on and around our golf courses. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators quietly return to help keep Colorado's ecosystems thriving. Golf course superintendents are doing their part to protect these essential creatures through sustainable landscape practices that balance playability with environmental stewardship.
Habitat loss across the state has made pollinator protection a top priority for Colorado golf course superintendents. Pollinators like honeybees, bumblebees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds, and even bats play a critical role in global food production, supporting about 75 percent of the world’s food crops through pollination services, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Pollinators are vital to Colorado’s agricultural economy. Many of the state’s crops rely on pollinators, including apples, cherries, peaches, melons, squash, sunflowers, and alfalfa. Without healthy pollinator populations, crop yields and food production would suffer.
Colorado golf courses have become unexpected sanctuaries for pollinators. Through careful planning, superintendents transform non-play areas into thriving habitats. These spaces provide food, shelter, and nesting opportunities while blending seamlessly into the natural landscape.
One of the most effective strategies is incorporating diverse native plant species that bloom throughout the growing season. Native wildflowers and shrubs support a range of pollinators and require less water and fewer inputs - perfectly aligned with Colorado’s sustainability goals.
Colorado superintendents follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies that prioritize monitoring, threshold-based action, and use of the safest possible control methods. Applicators receive special training on pollinator biology and product labels that include bee-specific guidance. Plus, technology such as weather monitoring, sprayer calibration, and mapping software also allows for smarter, targeted applications
Colorado’s unique geography supports an incredible diversity of native bees, including species that are more efficient than honeybees in certain conditions. Native bees like the blue orchard mason bee (Osmia lignaria), are more effective at pollinating early spring crops such as cherries and peaches - especially in cooler conditions common to Colorado’s fruit-growing regions (CSU Extension). Many golf courses incorporate landscapes to attract pollinators, including milkweed which supports monarch butterflies, plus bee houses and dedicated native areas.
The next time you’re teeing off, take a moment to appreciate the buzz around native blooms, tree lines, and out-of-play wildflower patches. These pollinator-friendly spaces are the result of thoughtful management rooted in science, care, and a deep respect for Colorado’s natural ecosystems.