Pollinator Webinar Series: Five Years of Turning Online Learning Into Action
Extension Education
Tarah Young
Extension Educator
United States
Nevis
Abstract
The Pollinator Webinar Series was developed to bridge a gap between pollinator research and practical landscape strategies for Minnesota residents. The primary objective was to provide an accessible, high-quality educational experience that inspires successful long-term environmental stewardship and habitat creation. Recognizing Extension must serve both loyal stakeholders and new audiences, this program has served as a critical entry point to the University of Minnesota Extension program pipeline. A multi-modal approach was utilized to accommodate diverse learning styles. A winter webinar series provided accessible research-based content, which was further reinforced by summer field days to provide hands-on, in-person learning to maintain momentum and encourage community connections. To ensure the program remained responsive to participant needs, registration data was analyzed to identify multi-property managers and track the geographic footprint of pollinator work. A voluntary crowdfunding model was implemented to keep the program free and accessible to all. The program reached 3,996 total participants over five years. Of those, 38% attended more than one year of the series, while 18% of the 1,764 registrants in 2026 were new. Over the five years of the series, strong behavior change has been observed. Follow-up data collected during the past three years show that 95% of participants planted more flowering plants, 88% observed increased pollinator activity, and 86% improved existing pollinator habitat. Additionally, the program raised $7,403.72 through participant donations. These results imply that digital webinar series can be an effective method for introducing new audiences to Extension, particularly when paired with in-person field days to deepen engagement. The use of deep data analysis in registration reveals that Extension's impact is often broader than a single property, reaching across regional landscapes. Grounding future planning in this longitudinal data ensures that the program remains a relevant, sustainable, and impactful model for environmental education.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: Tarah Young
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Young, T. Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension , Minnesota, 56467