Bee City Commitments
To become a Bee City USA affiliate, a city must fulfill these commitments:
1. Establish a standing Bee City USA committee to advocate for pollinators
- Expertise to help the committee complete commitments
- A mix of volunteers and city staff
- Committee should have a chair or multiple co-chairs
- Regular meeting schedule that is open to the public
2. Create and enhance pollinator habitat on public and private land by increasing the abundance of native plants and providing nest sites
- Create / enhancing habitat on public and private land each year
- Create a native plant list and native plant supplier list
3. Reduce pesticide usage
- Create and adopt an integrated pest management (IPM) plan
- Expand the use of non-chemical pest management methods
4. Incorporate pollinator-conscious practices into city policies and plans
- Establish a policy to commit to the Bee City USA designation
- Review the plan and consider improvements to policies and practices
- Identify appropriate locations for pollinator-friendly plantings
- Consider other appropriate measures
5. Host pollinator awareness events
- Host or co-host at least one pollinator awareness event each year
- Focus on native pollinator conservation
6. Publicly acknowledge Bee City USA affiliation with signs and an online presence
- Display signage designating community as a Bee City USA affiliate
- Share information online (activities, plant list, suppliers, and IPM plan)
7. Pay application fee and annual renewal fee
- Initial applicaton fee
- Annual renewal fee
8. Annually apply for renewal and report previous year’s activities
- Submit a renewal application each year after certification
- Submit annual report