Austin is a Bee City!
On March 23, 2022, Austin became a Bee City USA affiliate. Bee City USA’s mission is to galvanize communities to sustain and support pollinators, specifically the approximately 3,600 species of bees native to the U.S. Such support involves increasing native plant abundance, providing nest sites, and reducing pesticide usage. Bee City USA is an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Becoming an official Bee City is not easy. Reversing the decline of native pollinators also takes work. The plight of our native bees is heartbreaking. To learn more, click The Plight of Native Bees. To provide a conservation lift for native pollinators, the city has agreed to various metrics we will pursue to ensure that we are doing our part to reverse the downward trends. To see the commitments the city of Austin is working on, click the “Bee City Commitments” tab on the left of your screen. Though the city’s efforts can make a positive difference for native pollinators, we can’t do it alone. We need your help! To see how you can join our efforts to sustain pollinators, click How You Can Help.
Our native pollinators are the “work horses” of local ecosystems. They are diligently going about their critical ecological task every day and often go unnoticed. However, together we can make their future brighter than their past. Join us in supporting and sustaining these amazing and wonderful insects. They need us all now more than ever!