Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution proclaims the City of Madison Board of Park Commissioners’ commitment to supporting pollinator health throughout the parks system. The City of Madison is a certified Bee City and the Madison Common Council has authorized the City of Madison to take the Mayor's Monarch Pledge to support pollinator health. The annual cost to participate in these organizations is $500 each and is included in the Parks Division’s 2023 operating budget. No additional appropriation is required.
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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, 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, 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 add...
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