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Board of Park Commissioners Proclaiming Commitment to Supporting Pollinator Health
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WHEREAS, in 2017, the City of Madison became a certified Bee City per the requirements outlined by BEE CITY USA®; and,
WHEREAS, pollinator-friendly communities can benefit local and regional economies through healthier ecosystems, increased vegetable and fruit crop yields, and increased demand for pollinator-friendly plant materials from local nurseries and growers; and,
WHEREAS, the loss of pollinators, including honey bees, native bees, bats, birds, and butterflies, across the country have been severe over the past few decades; and,
WHEREAS, bees and other pollinators have experienced population declines due to a combination of habitat loss, use of pesticides, and the spread of pests and diseases; and,
WHEREAS, Garden Scouts, a volunteer group at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, surveys the outdoors gardens for pollinators and records sightings in iNaturalist; and
WHEREAS, Garden Scouts tag monarch butterflies in the fall at Olbrich Botanical Gardens with 30 butterflies tagged in 2024; and,
WHEREAS, the rusty patched bumblebee - a resident species at Olbrich Botanical Gardens and once commonly seen in 28 states, including Wisconsin, as recently as the 1990’s - has become the first bumblebee species to be listed as endangered under federal law; and,
WHEREAS, in 2014, the Madison Common Council passed RES-14-00747 directing the Madison Food Policy Council to initiate a Pollinator Protection Task Force to study pollinator health and make recommendations on how the City can support pollinators; and,
WHEREAS, in 2017, the Madison Common Council accepted the report of the Pollinator Protection Task Force as the guiding document for the City of Madison to address the issue of pollinator decline and directing the Madison Food Policy Council, with assistance of city staff, to implement the recommendations; and,
WHEREAS, in order to enhance understanding among local governm...
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