Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes the City to become a certified Bee City. The cost of the certification is $500 annually and will be funded through existing appropriation in the Mayor’s Office.
Title
Authorizing the City of Madison to become a certified Bee City per the requirements outlined by BEE CITY USA® and authorizing the Madison Food Policy Council and the Food Policy Coordinator to undertake certification requirements as needed.
Body
WHEREAS, the mission of BEE CITY USA is to galvanize communities to sustain pollinators, responsible for the reproduction of three-quarters of the world's plant species, by providing them with healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants and free to nearly free of pesticides; and
WHEREAS, due in part to the tremendous diversity of wild native bees, along with the honey bees that were brought to the United States from Europe in the 1700s, we have very diverse dietary choices rich in fruits, nuts, vegetables and even dairy products--one in every three bites of food we eat is courtesy of insect pollination; 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, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, honey production in Wisconsin dropped by 21.2% and fell from 10th to 15th among the top honey-producing states from 2013 to 2014; and
WHEREAS, the Rusty Patched Bumblebee - a resident species at Olbrich 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, 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, ideal pollinator-friendly habitat:
• Provides diverse and abundant nectar and pollen from plants blooming in succession throughout the growing season;
• Provides water for drinking, nest-building, cooling, diluting stored honey, and butterfly puddling;
• Provides undisturbed spaces (leaf and brush piles, un-mowed fields or field margins, fallen trees and other dead wood) for nesting and overwintering for wild pollinators
• Is pesticide-free or has pesticide use carried out with least ill effects on pollinators;
• Is comprised of mostly, if not all, native species of annual and perennial forbs, grasses, vines, shrubs, and trees in landscapes because many wild pollinators prefer or depend on the native plants with which they co-adapted;
• Includes, where possible, designated pollinator zones in public spaces with signage to educate the public and build awareness; and,
• Provides for safe and humane removal of honey bees when required.
WHEREAS, supporting pollinators fosters environmental awareness and sustainability, and increases interactions among community stewards, backyard beekeepers, farmers, children, educators, Master Gardeners, local businesses, faith-based organizations, and nature-related organizations; and
WHEREAS, in order to enhance understanding among local government staff and the public about the vital role that pollinators play and what each of us can do to sustain them, Madison chooses to support and encourage pollinator habitat creation and enhancement on both public and private land; and
WHEREAS, Madison should be certified a BEE CITY USA community because:
• The 2014 adoption of Common Council resolution #35011 directed the Madison Food Policy Council to convene, develop, and provide implementation direction to city departments for strategies to promote the health of honeybees and other pollinators.
• A project charter was established for the Pollinator Protection Task Force, which defines the scope, objectives, and participants of the Task Force
• The Pollinator Protection Task Force crafted a 2015 report, “Pollinator Protection Task Force Report”, which provided Policy, Education, Public Lands Management, and Partnership recommendations to support pollinator health in the City of Madison
• The Pollinator Protection Work Group is actively working with City staff and outside entities to implement Pollinator Protection Task Force Report recommendations
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Madison resolves to maintain certification as a Bee City under the requirements set forth from BEE CITY USA ® as described herein; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Office of the Mayor is hereby designated as the BEE CITY USA sponsor for the City of Madison; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Food Policy Coordinator for the City of Madison is designated as the BEE CITY USA liaison; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that facilitation of the Madison BEE CITY USA program is assigned to the Madison Food Policy Council; and
BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED, the Madison Food Policy Council is authorized to, and should:
• Annually celebrate National Pollinator Week (third full week of June) or some other appropriate occasion with educational events, pollinator habitat plantings or restoration, proclamations or promotions that showcase Madison’s commitment to enhancing pollinator health and habitat
• Install and maintain at least one authorized BEE CITY USA street sign in a prominent location, and create and maintain a webpage on the City of Madison website which includes, at minimum, a copy of this resolution, links to the national BEE CITY USA website, contact information for the local government’s BEE CITY USA liaison, the Food Policy Coordinator and contact information for the Madison Food Policy Council and reports of the pollinator-friendly activities the community has accomplished the previous year(s)
• Develop and implement a program to create or expand pollinator-friendly habitat, which can include, but is not limited to:
o Identification and inventory of City of Madison real property that can be enhanced with pollinator-friendly plantings
o Creation of a recommended locally native species list to include forbs, grasses, vines, shrubs, and trees and a list of local suppliers for those species
o Creation of a least toxic pesticide management plan, and dissemination of informational and educational materials to the public
o Tracking annual area of pollinator habitat created or enhanced by square footage and/or acreage
• Establish, through the City of Madison, a policy in the City of Madison’s Comprehensive Plan to acknowledge and commit to the BEE CITY USA designation
• Review the Comprehensive Plan and other relevant documents to review pesticide management policies and practices as they relate to pollinator conservation, identify appropriate locations for pollinator-friendly plantings, and consider other appropriate measures; and
BE FINALLY RESOLVED, that each January, the City of Madison will apply for renewal of the City of Madison’s BEE CITY USA designation following the format provided by BEE CITY USA, including a report of the previous year’s BEE CITY USA activities, and paying the renewal fee based on the City of Madison’s population.