Connecting and Blooming: Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA 2023 Annual Report

Dear Friends,
This year, I have the honor of it being my third year managing Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA (and my tenth with the Xerces Society!). Each year, I get so excited to read everyone’s renewal reports. This is our largest, and I dare say, most impressive, batch of reports yet.

In 2023, we held virtual regional meetings, I visited affiliates and applicants around the state of Michigan, and we grew by 51 new cities and campuses. I am grateful to have the opportunity to support our partners and their amazing work.

What makes Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA special is how each affiliate carries out the commitments of this program in their own way. Their projects integrate into the culture of their community. There is so much strength created by the partnerships with agencies, clubs, local businesses, and even other Bee Cities and Campuses. Getting certified and staying certified takes work. We know it. But the projects you all create are fun, unifying, and community-building.

Last year, city and campus affiliates conducted dozens of bioblitzes and bee surveys, started seed libraries, tabled at farmers markets, taught kids to make seed bombs — and wore a lot of amazing bee costumes while they did it! Even pesticide reduction, a topic that may seem boring to some, on the ground can be pretty fun. It can mean goats, volunteer weed pulls, even flame weeders.

This annual report highlights the impressive range of habitat projects, events, and policies cities and campuses worked on during 2023, but it doesn’t cover everything that affiliates accomplished. We highly recommend going straight to the source and read the renewal reports themselves. These reports contain ideas, inspiration, and advice we can all utilize.

So much was achieved in 2023, and 2024 is shaping up beautifully. We’ve already added over 25 new affiliates, we’ve expanded our team with the addition of our new community engagement assistant Carly Hirschmann, and we’re rolling out a new Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan Toolkit this summer. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the success of this community. We are so grateful for your expertise, creativity, and passionate advocacy for our pollinating neighbors.

Warmly,

Laura Rost, National Coordinator, and the Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA team

Two smiling people stand outside holding white butterfly nets. — Image (L to R): Bee City USA & Bee City USA’s Carly Hirschmann, Community Engagement Assistant; and Laura Rost, National Coordinator, on a recent butterfly survey. Credit: Carly Hirschmann.

2023 BEE CITY USA AND BEE CAMPUS USA AFFILIATE SNAPSHOT

2023 City and Campus Stats:

Pollinator-related events: 3,213
Attendees at pollinator events: 322,654
Pollinator habitat projects: 2,674
Acres of pollinator habitat created or enhanced: 1,878
Pollinator habitat participants: 19,366
Total people engaged in pollinator conservation through community events, habitat projects, training courses, continuing education, and service learning: 345,036
Affiliates at end of 2023:
- - Bee Cities: 202
  - Bee Campuses: 177
  - Total: 379

2023 Campus-Only Stats: Our Bee Campus USA affiliates have a few additional commitments. Each year, they integrate pollinator conservation into curriculum, and continuing education or service learning:

Service learning projects to enhance pollinator habitat on and off-campus: 34
Students in those service learning projects: 533
For-credit courses that included pollinator-related information: 11
Students in those for-credit courses: 2,283
Continuing education courses including pollinator-related information: 8
Participants in those continuing education courses: 200

Highlights of Affiliates' 2023 Renewal Reports

Below we’ve displayed report snapshots as slideshows. To pause the scrolling content:

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POLLINATOR HABITAT

A big low-lying meadow with misty-looking pink flowers on a sunny day with puffy white clouds in the sky. — Round Rock, TX: "Our main pollinator habitat project was planting bulk pollinator flower seeds in four of our city owned/managed storm water detention ponds. These areas are about 2 acres in size total. Bee City Committee members organized the plantings but the actual work was done by the city parks department. One “experimental” detention pond bloomed in the Spring and was totally amazing – thus, we did plantings in three additional detention ponds this past Fall and are currently eagerly awaiting them to bloom this Spring. Our goal is to plant a additional 3-5 detention ponds every year with pollinator seed. We also contributed to, but did not organize, smaller 'yard gardens' at a couple of schools and neighborhoods." Image: detention pond. Credit: Jessica Woods.

A large group of people pose close together on a sunny day with the ocean in the background. — Seaside, CA: "Every Saturday in Seaside parks, from 10a-12p, volunteers meet to enhance and create new pollinator habitats. Although only 4,000 square feet of new habitat was created, the volunteer efforts continue to enhance habitats at 11 parks, spanning approximately 46,000 sf. Additionally, approximately 450 new native plants were established in the new habitat areas." Image: Bee City USA - Seaside, CA Committee members. Credit: Bee City USA - Seaside, CA

A tall meadow with yellow, pink and orange flowers with a brick building in the background. — University of North Carolina Asheville, NC: "We continue to use hand weeding in our most densely planted pollinator gardens. We have found that if new gardens are intensively monitored for the first 3-4 years, weed pressure decreases over time. We use mechanical means to control/remove invasive species whenever possible. Large areas of English ivy were removed with an excavator. A heavy layer of mulch was then added to further inhibit re-growth." Image: Owen Hall Bioretention Garden. Credit: Bee Campus USA - University of North Carolina Asheville, NC

Six people walk and crouch around pots of green plants with trees in the background. — Gainesville, FL: "Bee City Gainesville’s first native plant/pollinator garden was installed at Grow Hub in October...a local landscape design firm specializing in native plants, donated their services and provided a design and plant list. The garden was established in an area adjacent to Grow Hub’s native plant nursery, and utilized species that are grown by Grow Hub and available for purchase. This garden will serve as a demonstration of how people can incorporate native plants into their home landscapes for the benefit of pollinators and other wildlife. Approximately 40 people attended the planting event to help install the plants and to learn more about the program and how they might become involved. An educational sign was also installed, which included a QR code that links to a page dedicated to the Grow Hub garden. The page features information on Bee City, Grow Hub, and profiles of all the plants used in the garden. Plant ID signs have been ordered and will be installed soon...For the Grow Hub garden, the site was solarized, so no herbicides or other chemicals were used during site preparation. No fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides will be used in the maintenance of the garden." Image: Volunteers install plants at Grow Hub native pollinator garden. Credit: Emily Bell

A small garden sign surrounded by yellow flowers. — Inver Hills Community College, MN: "Our campus is on year three of a three year contract...to replace under-utilized land with natural prairie restoration and pollinator-friendly plants. We have two large spaces on campus currently used for this purpose. Our committee had a hand in implementing this. We obtained grant funding for this project and were involved in the original planning. "We have made our greatest strides in new policies of diverse native habitats and less mowing. We added 15 acres between 2021-2023 and are projected to add 3.5 acres more starting in 2024." Image: community garden sign. Credit: Rachel Marzahn

Photo of many different small potted plants in black pots on a long table in a greenhouse. — SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, NY: "Our grounds crew continues to improve habitat quality on campus by removing invasive plants, like wintercreeper, in areas that will be future pollinator habitat. Hundreds of plants used in installations were grown from wild seed in ESF campus greenhouses. Plants are otherwise purchased from local CNY growers whenever possible. Some of ESF’s plants were provided to our partner Syracuse University to help them establish their Bee Campus gardens." Image: Hundreds of the plants we use for campus plantings have been grown in our campus greenhouses from wild seed, without use of pesticides. Credit: Molly Jacobson.

Colorful flowers bloom in a green meadow. — Missouri State University, MO: "In the early spring Grounds Department took out some junipers in the median of our shuttle bus transit way. In the replacement of these junipers, we planted native and wildflowers. The bees and butterfly population exploded in this area once the project was completed." Image: Wildflower planting in the median of our shuttle bus transit way. Credit: Bee City USA - Missouri State University, MO.

REDUCING PESTICIDES

A person stands next to a table with a display and a large banner. — Gloucester County, VA: "We spoke with over 600 people about discontinuing the use of pesticides in their gardens and alternative methods to help deter pests. We also gave out hand outs that explained this information. The committee created an IPM as a resource for residents to use as a guide for pest management in their yards and gardens, which is available online." "In all our interactions with the public we emphasize the importance of planting natives and avoiding use of pesticides. We have been using our IPM as a talking point and have been handing it out to landscapers and other groups in our county who can make a change." Image: Ware Church Farmer's Market of Gloucester set up. Credit: Roan Kosakowski

Two people crouch at the base of a large tree trunk surrounded by ivy vines. — University of Georgia, GA: "UGA’s Grounds department launched a new Grounds Academy in 2022 which includes a brief introduction to Integrated Pest Management into its required Level 100 and Level 200 curriculum. As the program expands to elective 300-600 level training, it will include more extensive training geared towards both IPM staff and maintenance crews who are the eyes and ears re: plant and wildlife health across campus. Future training programs will explore how to assess levels of pest damage and which corrective measures should be implemented in accordance with the IPM Handbook developed in 2020...The Pollinator Program recognizes the importance of mapping invasive and non-native species on campus and developing management plans for their steady replacement with more pollinator friendly communities." Image: Invasive species removal- Dr. Richard Hall's ECOL 4900S Service-learning class. Credit: Bee Campus USA - University of Georgia, GA.

Eight people in warm clothing sit and stand around a butterfly-shaped bench outside with bare trees in the background. — Media Borough, PA: "Media Bee City leadership met with 2 State Representatives and one State Senator. We asked them to work toward the elimination of PA’s preemption regarding the regulation of mosquito spraying. This currently prohibits local governments from regulating harmful pesticides in densely populated communities." Image: Bee City USA - Media Borough, PA committee members. Top, left to right: Suzzi, Sari, Astrid, Walt, Kelsey, and Carol. Seated left to right: Julie Smith and Linda Coulston committee co-chairs. Credit: Carol Carmon.

A person in a plaid shirt holds the handle of a flame weeder, with a gray oval propane tank nearby. — Greenwood, SC: Image: Flaming weeds to reduce herbicides. Credit: Bee City USA - Greenwood, SC.

A group of mostly white goats in front of brown brambles on a sunny day. — New Castle, NY: "The Town does not use pesticides on any public lands. In spring and late summer 2023, New Castle solicited the services of [g]oats to remove (eat) the riparian corridor of Tercia Brook adjacent Town Hall that was dominated by mugwort and porcelain berry. In October, the banks were hydroseeded mixed with an organic mulch tackifier (poly-free) that included native forbs (11 species) and grasses (7 species)." Image: Goats Tercia Brook and Memorial Field. Credit: Dennis Corelli, Environmental Coordinator, New Castle.

BEE CITIES AND CAMPUSES WHO ARE PESTICIDE-FREE

The following Bee Cities dropped pesticide use altogether on city grounds:

Bethania, NC
Santa Barbara, CA
Seaside, CA
Talent, OR
Williamstown, WV

The following Bee Campuses have dropped pesticide use altogether on campus grounds:

Indiana State University, IN
Lane Community College, OR
Southern Oregon University, OR
SUNY Upstate Medical University, NY
University of Texas at Austin, TX

Congratulations affiliates! What an impressive feat. 👏👏👏

POLLINATOR-CONSCIOUS POLICIES AND PLANS

About ten people sit and stand facing the camera smiling, outside, with a banner in the background. — Reno, NV: "Committee members testified before Nevada Assembly hearings to ban neonics from ornamental plants statewide. AB162 was subsequently passed, and products containing neonics, intended for use on ornamentals, are no longer available to the Nevada public. The Biggest Little Bee City Committee feels this is a huge win and will go far in improving the safety of pollinator habitat, particularly in urban and suburban communities." Image: Bee City USA - Reno, NV Committee. Credit: Ray Hopper

Screenshot of the cover of a document with a photo of a red building. — The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX: "[UTRGV] implement[ed] and follow[ed] through with the UTRGV Pest Management Plan. Over the course of the last year, institutional leadership has changed, so the showcasing of the Pest Management Plan and vision sharing in the values associated with a healthy campus and biodiversity was done throughout the year." Image: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's Integrated Pest Management Plan.

People sit indoors on teal chairs facing towards a person presenting in front of a screen. — Winston-Salem, NC: "Winston-Salem: In 2023, planning efforts began in line with the Bee City USA project to support an overhaul of the Natural Landscaping Ordinance Requirements for residents of Winston-Salem. The Sustainability Department began to convene relevant stakeholders (City Council members, Vegetation Management, Code Enforcement, & Neighborhood Services, Cooperative Extension) to discuss broadening the allowances for residents to maintain natural landscapes. "Following discussions with stakeholder groups, the Sustainability Department drafted ordinance update language in 2023 and worked with City of Winston-Salem Managers and Attorneys to review expectations around updating the ordinance in 2024. In February 2024, Sustainability presented the ordinance update at the General Government Committee which passed unanimously. Sustainability will be presenting the ordinance update at the March City Council Meeting, which if it passes will allow the ordinance to go into effect. "If passed, this ordinance will greatly expand the rights of residents to plant their yards with natural landscapes rather than turf grass. This will promote protections for pollinators, as native yards are proven to reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, reduce the amount of water used in lawn care, and provide pollinator friendly habitats across the city." [Update: it passed in March 2024! Read more here https://www.cityofws.org/3281/Natural-Landscape-Area] Image: Moriah Gendy – Bee City USA - Winston-Salem Liason, & Mathew Scoggin Forsyth Cooperative Extension present during Forsyth Creek Week on “Why Native Plant Choices Matter” at the Reynolda Manor Public Library. Credit: Jennifer Chrysson, City of Winston-Salem

A group of people sit and stand under a large tree. — The University of North Texas, TX: "The University of North Texas Grounds Department uses only the safest, lowest toxicity products for effective control of pests. UNT prohibits the use of pesticides containing neonicotinoids, and pesticide use was avoided altogether in areas with designated pollinator habitats. The Grounds Department has been increasing their efforts to use non-pesticide management methods, such as propane torches, frequent mulching, and the use of hand tools for weed control. Additionally the team has maintained a 50-50 rule, meaning products must be at least 50 percent organic across campus. This year, the team began practicing No Mow May (June and July, too!) in various spaces across campus to encourage wildflower growth during peak pollinator seasons. They began experimenting with various oils and soaps to utilize a variety of organic practices to maintain pests. Many plants sourced for campus grounds are from local landscaping shops, and any contractors used for campus grounds are encouraged to use these sources as well. The team also works diligently to identify and mitigate non-native species of plants that currently exist on spaces on campus. The Community Garden at UNT uses only organic methods of pest management, as well as removal by hand. The Garden Facilitator teaches garden members the basics of organic Integrated Pest Management. This year, this included using Milk Spores to control grub life in one of our plots. The Pollinative Prairie at UNT also only uses organic and hand removal methods of pest management and has seen hawks as a natural predator for pests that are present. The Prairie also received a burn permit to mitigate invasive species in their area, though has yet to successfully implement the burn due to weather complications." Image: Students who attended a Parking Lot Preserve Workday. Credit: Bee Campus USA - The University of North Texas, TX.

A person with one foot on a shovel smiles at the camera on a sunny day. — Carson City, NV: "Carson City has prepared an Integrated Pest Management Plan that was written as a collaboration between several Department’s throughout Carson City – including Parks, Public Works and Health with the Vector Control Program. The plan emphasizes using a variety of control methods such as mechanical removal, biocontrol and others as a way to reduce herbicide application throughout the City. Some examples include continuing to implement an herbicide free program for maintaining the vegetation around the Foothill Garden and Bee Hotel site, given that this site hosts organic food production, in addition to a Bee Hotel habitat. Other methods such as solarization are used to treat noxious weeds in this location as an alternative to chemical herbicides. Additionally, both the Carson City Parks, Recreation & Open Space Department, as well as Carson City Public Works Department continued to utilize integrated pest management techniques wherever possible. This includes removing weedy vegetation manually along trails or in sensitive habitats such as wetlands. Additionally, Carson City implemented the 17th year of fuel reduction utilizing sheep grazing on the west side of Carson City. Utilizing sheep, Carson City can reduce fine fuel across 2,000 acres on the landscape with non-chemical means. Additionally, staff work to clear detention basins using mechanical removal rather than herbicide. In addition to some of the alternatives to herbicides outlined above, Carson City staff have also worked to implement a staff training program for seasonal maintenance staff related to integrated pest management, proper plant ID and restoration. Proper training for staff has empowered them to make greater considerations related to pollinator populations when determining treatment methods." Image: IPM in action, utilizing mechanical removal of weeds in a sensitive meadow habitat to avoid use of herbicides. Credit: Bee City USA - Carson City, NV.

Yellow flowers and green vegetation on the top of a large hill, looking down. — Santa Barbara, CA: "The Creeks Division of the Sustainability & Resilience Department was created to protect pollinators, people, and waterways from pesticides and other harmful chemicals. In November 2000, the City of Santa Barbara’s voters approved Measure B, an increase in the transient occupancy tax rate from 10% to 12% effective January 2001. All proceeds from the 2% tax increase are restricted to use in the Creeks Restoration and Water Quality Improvement Program...Goals for restoration projects include removal of invasive plants, restoring native riparian vegetation and habitat, and improving water quality through natural filtration. Restoring native vegetation also provides benefits to native pollinators. When possible, the community is invited to participate in restoration efforts at both large and small scale restoration projects. Volunteers have participated in native planting days, invasive plant removal, and clean-ups at various sites throughout the City over the last several years." Image: Creeks Restoration. Credit: City of Santa Barbara, CA.

Outreach and Events

People stand under a larger outdoor structure in the evening, with black picnic tables with poster displays around them — Arlington, TX: "The City of Arlington’s Bee City Committee members and Stormwater Educator provide presentations, Citizen Science programs and attend community events throughout the year. Native Bees and other pollinators presentation provides information on the importance of creating and protecting native pollinator habitat by discussing the environmental stressors such as disease, habitat loss, and pesticide use. The adult program includes the importance of using native plants in gardens which provide nesting places, food and shelter. Our citizen science program utilizes the iNaturalist application to identify native pollinator species. We host bioblitzes, moth nights, bat nights and benthic macro-invertebrate programs to gather data on our local species. "The City’s Parks and Recreation department distributes native trees at several community events throughout the year and emphasizes the use of native plants in residential and business landscapes." Image: Bat Night at River Legacy Park. Credit: Melissa Walker

A green and tan map, with yellow dots. — Michigan State University, MI: "Our largest event was Beepalooza, focused on the importance of native bees and native plants. This annual event returned to the MSU Horticultural Gardens after a hiatus during the pandemic and featured numerous activities including making seed bombs with native Michigan plants, an iNaturalist project to record species of bumblebees in the garden, a bee “petting zoo”, and various handouts for children and adults. Over 240 people were in attendance." Image: Map of outreach tables at Michigan State University’s Bee Palooza event for all ages.

Two people handle a small potted plant over a table at a busy outdoor event on a sunny day. — Indiana State University, IN: "In 2023, Indiana State University’s Office of Sustainability hosted several educational and outreach events aimed at raising awareness of invasive plant species, the importance of native plant species, and the importance of pollinators. These events included our 16th Annual Earth Day Celebration, 2nd Annual Sycamore Food Forest Fall Festival, Bat Fest festival, Conservation Days, K-8 summer camps, weed wrangles and community garden events." Image: Handing out native plants during the Earth Day Celebration event. Credit: Bee City USA - Indiana State University, IN.

A display case with shelves of mostly books. — Puyallup, WA: [T]he City Puyallup U team invited WSU Master Gardeners to educate staff about pollinators and gardening...the City hung up our pollinator banner in Pioneer Park, centrally located in our busy community park in our downtown plaza, a pollinator display at our local library (with pollinator books to check out, wildflower seed packets and planting resources), and Farmer’s Market booth with resources, flower packets, drawings for pollinator prizes and promoting the City’s Bee City designation...[T]he City communications team included an article in our City e-newsletter about the City’s Bee City designation; what that means and what types of community events and volunteer opportunities we have each year. The article routed readers to our City’s Bee City page: https://www.cityofpuyallup.org/1178/Bee-City. Our e-newsletter goes out monthly to 1,800 subscribers and printed quarterly and mailed to City residents. The goal was to reach as many residents as possible via different mediums. During National Pollinator Week, our Recreation Center’s Day Camp for children incorporated “Bee Week” into their curriculum. This included planting pollinator wildflower seeds. Campers had fun learning about our pollinators and each received a bee bracelet." Image: Library display that featured various types of pollinator books, a mason beehive, patrons were encouraged to check out pollinator books and received free wildflower packets and a resource guide for planting. Credit: Bee City USA - Puyallup, WA.

A person sits outside at a table with a white display cloth. — Berwyn Heights, College Park, and University of Maryland, MD: "The Berwyn Heights Bee City Committee participated in a joint pollinator festival held on the University of Maryland Campus. College Park, the University, and Berwyn Heights are all connected and we joined in their planned event. The event showed the movie “My Garden of a Thousand Bees” as well as hosting vendors with various pollinator information." Image: Berwyn Heights Green Team at the UMD Pollinator Festival. Credit: Paul Kavanaugh:

A close-up of someone piping mud into heart-shaped molds, with a seed pack nearby. — The University of Texas at Austin, TX: "Beevo Beekeeping Society at the University of Texas at Austin introduced a new education committee into the organization, which focuses on teaching the UT community about bees, pollination, conservation, and sustainability. An array of events were hosted by the education committee, such as 3 guest speaker events, 2 presentations at local elementary schools, and 1 documentary nights. The education committee also created education reports and handouts about bees and pollination that were distributed at UT Farmstand events. Sustainability initiatives like 'Leave the Leaves' were highlighted on the Beevo Beekeping Instagram page. An educational “Bee Jeopardy” night was hosted at the start of the Fall 2023 semester. A talk about bees was hosted by the Campus Environmental Center in the Fall 2023 semester. A Beevo Seed Bomb Workshop was hosted in Spring 2023 as an outdoor event where members of the UT community were invited to learn how to make and effectively distribute seed bombs. The seed bombs were constructed with native Texas wildflower seeds. Upon the reopening of the Texas Memorial Museum for Science and Natural History, a new pollinator garden was established. The staff within the Texas Memorial Museum for Science and Natural History were awarded a UT Greenfund grant to install a pollinator garden on the grounds of the museum in collaboration with UT Landscape Services and the Lady Bird Wildflower Center. Multiple websites were created or updated, including the UT Austin Pollinator Program Website, the UT Austin Biodiversity Center Pollinator Information page, and the UT Austin Bee Campus page: https://facilitiesservices.utexas.edu/programs/pollinator-program; https://biodiversity.utexas.edu/resources/pollinator-information; https://biodiversity.utexas.edu/resources/bee-campus." Image: Beevo members hosted a seed bomb making workshop with native plant seeds open to the UT public. Credit: Brynn Havern.

A photo of a poster with text and a person in a dark shirt smiling. — Randolph College & Lynchburg, VA: "AN EVENING WITH DOUG TALLAMY: On September 28, 2023, members of the Lynchburg Bee City Committee, Lynchburg Parks and Recreation, Blue Ridge Conservation and the Piedmont Community Health Plan hosted internationally acclaimed, best-selling author, Doug Tallamy, at E.C. Glass High School. Doug signed books before delivering his astounding lecture in which he spoke about Nature’s Best Hope, and how conservation can start with us and in our own yards! Attending vendors included Lynchburg Bee City USA, Blue Ridge Conservation, Rivermont Refillery, Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature Center, Hill City Master Gardeners, Lynchburg Water Resources, Explore Nature by Nurture, Shrader Stone, Lynchburg Tree Stewards and Claytor Nature Center. EC Glass High School art students made papier-mâché native bees for the entrances and the EC Glass High School Culinary Arts Department baked cookies as refreshments. The Academy Center of the Arts hosted a juried Youth Pollinator Art Contest during the month of September and some of the entries were displayed at the event. This free and open to the public event was attended by over 600 people!" Image: poster of An Evening with Doug Tallamy.

BEE CAMPUS COURSES AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

Students in a classroom face people sitting in the front of a classroom, in front of a white board. — Blue Ridge Community College, NC: "We offer a variety of for-credit classes via the horticulture department that discuss integrated pest management and why it is important for both humans and other animals. Our continuing education classes are mostly focused on native plant identification and how to utilized those in a home/managed landscape." Image: Students discussing pest management practices with local professionals that have experience in the field. Credit: Bee Campus USA - Blue Ridge Community College, NC.

Three people stand smiling next to a large poster indoors. — Luther College, IA: Luther College students won 1st and 2nd place for their posters at the Entomological Society of America national meeting. Their posters were on native bee pollinator networks on the Luther College campus, and native bee diversity on the Luther College campus, respectively. A third poster on pollinator use of nativars of two native prairie forbs on campus was also on display. Image: 1st place winning poster. Credit: R. Wisgerhof.

A screenshot of a course description. — College of San Mateo, CA "At CSM, the standard biology department curriculum contains general information about biodiversity and ecosystem resilience-to which pollinators are integral. In particular, the for-credit courses BIOL 145 – Plants, People & Environment, BIOL 220 – General Botany, BIOL 100 – Intro to the Life Sciences, and BIOL 210 – General Zoology all focus on plants and pollinators and their role as they relate to ecosystem function and connection to human society. Student reviews indicate that these classes have sparked deep interest in conservation and plant biology, even among non-science majors!" Image: Example of CSM biology curriculum.

Students at long white tables face a person presenting in a room with a high ceiling. — St. Ambrose University, IA: Image: Students attend a training from a US Fish and Wildlife biologist on rusty patched bumble bee conservation. Credit: Dennis Tarasi

BEE CAMPUS SERVICE LEARNING

A group of about a dozen people stand around a garden with metal raised garden beds and a white greenhouse. — University of Pittsburgh, PA: "On June 16, 2023, the University’s Office for Equity, Diversion, & Inclusion hosted Rooted in Community (in partnership with PittServes and the Office of Engagement & Community Affairs). This program included 4 community garden clean-ups in Pittsburgh neighborhoods (Hill District, Homewood, Knoxville, and McKeesport). These community gardens provide habitat for pollinators and also help to fight regional food insecurity: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2023/06/16/university-of-pittsburgh-students-staff-juneteenth-peace-friendship-farm-gardens/stories/202306160098." Image: The University of Pittsburgh’s “Rooted in Community” volunteer program cleaned up 4 community gardens, to helping fight regional food insecurity and supporting local pollinator species. Credit: University of Pittsburgh, PA.

Three people crouch beneath a solar panel with green plants around them. — University of Dayton, OH: "In Fall 2023, Bee Campus students organized a service-learning opportunity at our solar prairie, hosting nine of their peers who were members of the University of Dayton River Stewards program. The River Stewards program is an interdisciplinary initiative that earns course credit. During the opportunity, Bee Campus students educated the River Stewards about the native pollinator habitats across campus and then guided them in implementing invasive species removal techniques in our solar prairie. Beyond campus, Bee Campus members volunteered at the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC). Engaging in various volunteer duties such as seed collection, plant propagation, and invasive species removal, these members played a pivotal role in supporting MEEC’s conservation efforts. Additionally, select committee members took part in the annual controlled burn of MEEC’s restored prairie. This hands-on experience provided insights into an effective prairie maintenance strategy that is prohibited on campus, enhancing their understanding of ecosystem management practices." Image: University of Dayton ecology students conduct research on ant communities within the solar prairie. Credit: Abby Carter

20 smiling people kneel and stand in a group, at the front of a classroom. — Tufts University Medford-Somerville, MA: "In spring of 2023, we completed the Tufts Pollinator Ambassadors program, where 14 students learned about pollinators and their conservation to best be able to perform educational outreach. These students have since worked outreach events, including community tabling events and pollinator safaris. Tufts graduate and undergraduate students learned to care for a garden year round, including maintenance over the summer so the gardens remain usable by people, trimming down plants in the fall, and cutting back for the winter. Students also learn to weed the gardens and grow native plants to supplement the gardens. This fall, we worked with graduate and undergraduate students to teach them how to collect native seeds. We then packaged and labeled these seeds to be distributed to the community through our Free Little Seed Library." Image: Tufts Pollinator Ambassadors at the end of the program in April of 2023. Credit: Karen Dooley

SIGNAGE

A white, black, and yellow street sign on a narrow paved path surrounded by bright green plants on a very sunny day. — College Park, MD: Image: Bee City USA - College Park, MD street sign. Credit: Alan Hew.

A large green interpretive sign with a picture of a buttonbush with text. — University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA: Image: New Pollinator Habitat sign at the New Judice Rickels Bioswale/Pollinator Garden with young natives planted in the background. Credit: Blair Begnaud.

Cheerful people sit and stand, posing for the camera. Some are planting small plants. — University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA: "...[W]e identified that there was a reoccurring problem with newly contracted out landscaping crews that would unintentionally mow our pollinator habitats even when we had no-mow signs in place...we had contracts amended with maps to better identify the no-mow pollinator habitat areas of campus...But it did not completely solve the issue. We would have our Office of Facilities Management to inform the heads of the contracted landscaping crews of the mistake, but it would happen again. During these discussions we learned of a language barrier...all future signs will be bilingual and/or multi-lingual. [We changed] contracts and design regulations for future projects to better protect our pollinator habitats." Image: AmeriCorps Planting the Wharton Hall Bioswale with 50 irises. Credit : Blair Begnaud.

A Bee City USA street sign, below a Tree City USA sign, with a City of West Linn sign in the background. — West Linn, OR: Image: Bee City USA - West Linn, OR street sign. Credit: Tarra Wiencken.

Two people in long sleeves stand smiling on either side of a large interpretive sign, with illustrations and text, with green plants in the behind them. — University of Central Florida, FL: Image: [T]he bee campus and pollinator gardens team installed an informational sign in our greenhouse garden. The sign details the history of the garden, provides information about Florida native pollinators, and points out that UCF is a certified bee campus. There are also five detailed illustrations showing important pollinators in Florida. Credit: Kassidy Headlee.

A yard sign with an illustration of a been and flower with black text. — Salem, OH: Image: Educational signs dot the borders of our three public pollinator gardens. Credit: Sara Baer.

LESSONS LEARNED

"You must meet people where they are at to bring them along. It is not feasible for the Bee City USA Project / Sustainability Department to do this work independently. Rather, partnership and fostering trust and collaboration has been the most productive tool in developing our project. Its incremental and takes time to transition practices, but by taking this time, our efforts will be more sustainable long term."

Bee City USA - Winston-Salem, NC

"'For increased student engagement, ask faculty to bring their students to an event during class time, as opposed to merely offering extra credit for attendance."

Bee Campus USA - College of San Mateo, CA

"Keep moving forward. Some of the battles will be lost, but you just have to pick yourselves up and try again."

Bee City USA - Appleton, WI

"We have a large Bee Campus committee, and members represent many different areas of expertise. We have students from a variety of academic interests, professional staff who are experts in land management practices, and faculty who are experts in native plants, insects, and prairie restoration. This has allowed us to build momentum, make progress in our respective areas, and get buy in for campus-wide goals. It has also provided an opportunity for all members to understand the concerns, limitations, policies, procedures, and organizational structure of other areas. This helps us make informed decisions about what to prioritize and who to collaborate with on specific projects"

Bee Campus USA - University of Iowa, IA

"One lesson learned is the importance of knowing your City’s staff bandwidth and knowledge when it comes to increasing pollinator habitat. Oftentimes this requires additional and more specialized staffing. We have found importance in first ensuring a project is able to properly be maintained before being initiated. This all ensures long-term success and sustainability for our Bee City program."

Bee City USA - Hendersonville, NC

"Partnerships are at the cornerstone for institutional investment; having the support of your leadership and transboundary communication & follow-up with your bee campus committee is essential for the markers of success associated with this coveted designation."

Bee Campus USA - The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX

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Bee City USA -

"This is a long term marathon, not a sprint. Establish a good committee with the relevant people at the table and set your sights on reasonable, incremental change."

Bee Campus USA - Virginia Tech, VA

And the pollinators showed up!

Click here to view all affiliate reports

Banner photos:

Top, L to R:

Bee Campus USA California State University Northridge, CA. Credit: James Forrester
Bee City USA Hampton, VA. Credit: Wendy Iles
Bee City USA Lookout Mountain, GA & TN. Credit: Bee City USA Lookout Mountain, GA & TN

Bottom, L to R:

Bee Campus USA East Carolina University, NC. Credit: SustainabiliBEES
Bee Campus USA University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, TX. Credit: David Pike
Bee Campus USA Tufts University Medford-Somerville, MA. Credit: Erin Treanore