I support Bee City Eugene and Bee Campus at the University of Oregon because they are local grassroots initiatives to help support native pollinator populations. Bee City fosters ongoing dialogue that raises awareness about the important role pollinators play in our communities and what we can do as a city and campus to provide them with the healthiest habitat possible.

Pollinators play a vital role in the wellbeing of our ecosystems and also in food production. With help from local bee-lover City Councilor Mike Clark, who is sponsoring the Bee City Resolution, Eugene is raising the bar through hosting events, workshops or presentations to empower people to save Oregon’s native bees.

In turn, the city of Eugene and the University of Oregon are creating sustainable habitats for pollinators through service learning projects. Becoming a Bee Campus can help the University of Oregon offer pollinator focused curriculum which helps educate students on the issues surrounding bee decline and how to get everyone involved in helping establish healthy, clean environments for pollinators.

Not only do Bee City and Bee Campus projects help reverse pollinator declines in our neighborhoods, they bring folks together to tackle an issue that concerns all of us and will empower us to come up with healthier solutions to declining pollinators.

Valeska Ramirez

Eugene