City of Rowlett, TX
05/17/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/17/2022 09:56
Pollinator Garden Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - Friday, May 20
We are a Bee City USA® affiliate!
In 2021, the City of Rowlett became an affiliate of Bee City USA®, an initiative created by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, to help communities sustain and reverse pollinator decline. A framework set forth for communities to conserve native pollinators by ensuring healthy habitats with a variety of native plants, nest sites, and protection from pesticides.
Rowlett's Pollinator Friendly Mission
The City of Rowlett supports the Bee City USA®'s commitment to conserving native pollinators. Our mission as an affiliate is to build a thriving and healthy community connecting you, our residents, with nature. The vision for this program is that with your collaboration, the City of Rowlett becomes a leader in creating and conserving sustainable healthy environments.
The City of Rowlett's participation as a Bee City USA® affiliate will continue to support the protection of pollinators by encouraging healthy pollinator habitat creation and enhancements. As a Bee City USA® Affiliate, the City through the efforts of Keep Rowlett Beautiful commits to:
- Hosting educational events or pollinator habitat planting or restoration.
- Develop and implement programs to create or expand pollinator-friendly habitats on public and private land.
- Create and adopt an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan designed to prevent pest problems, reduce pesticide use, and expand the use of non-chemical pest management methods.
- Establish a policy in the Comprehensive Plan, in the next update, to acknowledge and commit to maintaining the Bee City USA®'s designation and practices as they relate to pollinator conservation.
The benefits of participating in this program are:
- Creating local and regional economies through healthier ecosystems.
- Increased vegetable and fruit crop yields.
- Increased demand for pollinator-friendly plant materials from local growers.
- An additional educational component to be implemented at the future Dan Roberts Environmental Learning Center (DRELC).
We want to hear from you!
What is blooming in Rowlett this Spring? Do you see any pollinators around? Let us know by uploading a photo of the beautiful spring blooms and pollinators around our city! We will showcase your photos here!
Pollinator Facts
Pollinators are a keystone species in essentially every ecosystem on earth, enabling the reproduction of over 85% of all flowering plants and 67% of agricultural crops. (Bee City USA: Pollinator Conservation)
In addition to the well-known honey bee, a species brought to the United States from Europe, there are more than 20,000 described species of bees globally, and around 3,600 species of bees native to the United States. While bees are the most important pollinator, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, wasps, bats, and hummingbirds also contribute to pollination. (Bee City USA: Pollinators)
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