National Pollinator Week offers an opportunity to celebrate the importance of bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, and the many other critters that contribute to pollinating the world’s incredible diversity of flowering plants. It is also a time to celebrate the individuals and communities across the country who are taking steps to conserve essential, and increasingly declining pollinators. I want to take a moment to thank people that make up the affiliates of Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA for the amazing work they did during the last year.
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The amount of effort Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA affiliates dedicated to protecting pollinators in their communities in 2019 was incredibly impressive, and truly inspiring. Affiliates not only created and enhanced habitats, reduced pesticide use, and hosted education and awareness events, but they approached these activities with creativity, enthusiasm, and candor.
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Conservation by the numbersA total of 829,867 people were engaged in pollinator conservation in 2019 as a result of Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA affiliates. This included individuals who attended events, habitat project volunteers, participants in for-credit and continuing education courses, and those involved in service-learning projects.
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A total of 876 habitat projects were completed, totaling 94,426,121 square feet (more than 2,160 acres).
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A wide range of integrated pest management practices were implemented. Some affiliates found ways to reduce their reliance on pesticides while others eliminated pesticide use altogether.
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Having started as the Bee City USA Coordinator in September of 2019, this was my first experience overseeing the renewal process and I found it eye opening. For the first time I fully realized the extent to which Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA foster mutualistic positive outcomes. In a world of rising sea levels, unprecedented habitat loss, and overwhelming species declines, these programs provide communities a tangible way to enact change. While focused on supporting pollinator communities, human communities are simultaneously strengthened.
This Pollinator Week, I hope you will gain inspiration from these communities and consider incorporating practices that support pollinators throughout the entire year. Whether by planting native flowering species, reducing the frequency at which you mow your lawn, or opting for hand weeding rather than spraying herbicides, you can help support native pollinator species and join a national network of like-minded people.
Further reading:
Read more about the specific ways that each renewing affiliate engaged in pollinator conservation in 2019 in their renewal reports.
Gain a more in-depth understanding of the work that a few affiliates are doing through reading our monthly affiliate spotlights, available on the Bee City USA blog.
Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA overview and commitments.