On July 9, 2019, the Lynchburg City Council voted unanimously to become A BEE CITY USA affiliate.  The 3,600+ species of native bees in the United States as well as the introduced honey bee and other pollinators are experiencing declines at alarming rates due to habitat loss, poor nutrition and pesticide exposure.   

The Bee City USA® program endorses a set of commitments, defined in a resolution, for creating sustainable habitats for native pollinators, which are vital to feeding the planet. By working together, our goal is to make a difference by reversing the threat currently facing native pollinators around the world.

Our goal in joining Bee City USA is to promote, protect and provide support for our pollinators, nature’s essential helpers.  This is done by providing healthy habitats, free of pesticides; using native plants, education, hosting community events and encouraging community participation. 

The City of Lynchburg’s decision to participate in becoming a Bee City was an easy one as we at Parks & Recreation along with the Building & Grounds Department have had a longtime policy of using native plants at our park properties. Many of the requirements that are part of the Bee City USA resolution are things we have already been doing. 

As part of the Please Do Hug the Trees Campaign, P&R encouraged participation from the community in the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge. Two pollinator gardens were installed at Riverside Park and one at the local VA Tech Extension Office. 

With our community center teaching gardens, we hope to demonstrate the value of pollinators to our food system, as one out of every three bites of food, is because of pollinators. 

Since receiving the official Bee City USA designation, we have established a working committee consisting of representatives from Parks & Recreation, Public Works, Water Resources, other city departments as well as representatives from Randolph College, Amazement Square, Master Naturalists, Lynchburg Food Council, Heritage High School, Piedmont Beekeepers, Master Gardeners and others along with the Blue Ridge Conservation who brought the idea of Lynchburg becoming part of Bee City USA.

DID YOU KNOW

Bees can play soccer?

Bees learn how to play soccer | Daily Planet – YouTube

Bees dance and are great at math!

Most native bees are solitary. If the mother bee is poisoned and, therefore, does not return to her nest, all her offspring and future generations perish.  The survival of each native bee is essential to ecosystem biodiversity.