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Home My WebLink About14382 1 RESOLUTION NO. 14,382 2 3 A RESOLUTION TO SEEK THE DESIGNATION OF BEING A BEE CITY 4 USA®; TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF 5 POLLINATORS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 6 7 WHEREAS,the goal of Bee City USA is to promote healthy, sustainable habitats and communities for 8 bees and other pollinators; and 9 WHEREAS,thanks to the tremendous diversity of wild native bees,along with the honey bees that were 10 brought here from Europe in the 1700s, we have very diverse dietary choices rich in fruits, nuts and 11 vegetables and; 12 WHEREAS, bees and other pollinators around the globe have experienced dramatic declines due to a 13 combination of habitat loss,use of pesticides,and the spread of pests and diseases,with grave implications 14 for the future health of flora and fauna; and; 15 WHEREAS,communities have the opportunity to support bees and other pollinators on both public and 16 private land;and; 17 WHEREAS, supporting pollinators fosters environmental awareness and sustainability, and increases 18 interactions among community stewards such as commercial and backyard beekeepers, farmers, children, 19 educators, Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, plant nurseries, municipalities, neighborhoods, and 20 garden suppliers and clubs;and; 21 WHEREAS, the economic benefits of (native and honey) bee-friendliness include: 1) healthy 22 ecosystems--insect pollinators are required for pollination and reproduction of approximately 85% of 23 flowering plants globally, plants that are vital for clean air and water, provide food, fiber and shelter for 24 people and wildlife and support the very insects that pollinate our crops and form the basis of food webs; 25 2) increased vegetable and fruit crop yields due to bee pollination; 3) increased habitat for natural enemies 26 of crop pests and therefore reduced need for and costs associated with pesticides; 4) increased demand for 27 pollinator-friendly plant materials from local nurseries and growers; and 5) income earned by beekeepers 28 and others through the sale of bee products, beekeeping equipment and supplies, and hive rentals for 29 pollination; and, heightened prestige and premium asking prices for place-based honey, which enhances 30 the visibility and reputation of its community of origin; and; 31 WHEREAS, Little Rock, Arkansas should be certified a Bee City USA community because: 1) Little 32 Rock is already taking greenspace and pollinators into consideration on all new construction; 2) the City 33 has already begun using bee friendly plants in public gardens and parks; 3) there has been an increase in 34 urban bee hives in Little Rock and becoming a Bee City USA would help to foster further growth, including [Page 1 of 3] 1 Dunbar Gardens, Western Hills Park and Catholic High School for Boys; and 4) it would aid the City's 2 effort toward becoming more sustainable; and; 3 WHEREAS,ideal pollinator-friendly habitat: 1)provides diverse and abundant nectar and pollen from 4 plants blooming in succession; 2)provides clean water for drinking, nest-building, cooling, diluting stored 5 honey, and butterfly puddling; 3) is pesticide-free or has pesticide use carried out with least ill effects on 6 pollinators;4)is comprised of mostly, if not all,native species of annual and perennial wildflowers,shrubs, 7 trees, and grasses because many native pollinators prefer or depend on the native plants with which they 8 co-evolved; 5) includes, where possible, designated pollinator zones in public spaces with signage to 9 educate the public and build awareness; 6) provides for safe and humane removal of bees when required; 10 and 7)provides undisturbed spaces(leaf and brush piles,un-mowed fields or field margins,fallen trees and 11 other dead wood)for nesting and overwintering for native pollinators; and; 12 WHEREAS,in order to enhance understanding among local government staff and the public about the 13 vital role that pollinator's play and what each of us can do to sustain them,the City of Little Rock,Arkansas, 14 agrees to meet the commitments required of all Bee City USA communities set forth in this Resolution. 15 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY 16 OF LITTLE ROCK,ARKANSAS: 17 Section 1. The Board of Directors of Little Rock,Arkansas,here accepts the designation and commits 18 to the standards of Bee City USA contained in Section 2. 19 Section 2. The City hereby agrees to: 20 (a) designate a local government department as the Bee City USA sponsor and an employee from that 21 department as the Bee City USA "liaison;"and assign facilitation of the local Bee City USA program either 22 to a) a new or existing commission or b) a non-profit organization, to encourage and coordinate local 23 pollinator habitat and awareness activities. This body will serve as the intermediary between the citizenry 24 and local government on matters of enhancing pollinator awareness, health and habitat, fulfilling the 25 following commitments: 26 (b) annually celebrate National Pollinator Week (third full week of June) or some other appropriate 27 occasion with educational events, pollinator habitat plantings or restoration, proclamations or promotions 28 that showcase the municipality's commitment to enhancing pollinator health and habitat. 29 (c)annually apply for renewal of the community's designation and submit a report of the previous year's 30 Bee City USA activities following the format provided. 31 (d) publicly acknowledge the City's commitment by agreeing to 1) install and maintain at least one 32 authorized Bee City USA street sign in a prominent location;and 2)create and maintain links on appropriate 33 pages of the local government's website which includes, at minimum, links to a PDF of this signed 34 Resolution and the national Bee City USA website,contact information for the local government's Bee City [Page 2 of 3] 1 USA liaison and designated "facilitator commission or non-profit organization committee," and reports of 2 the pollinator-friendly activities the community has accomplished the previous year(s). 3 Section 3. Severability. In the event any title, section, paragraph, item, sentence, clause, phrase, or 4 word of this resolution is declared or adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration or 5 adjudication shall not affect the remaining portions of the resolution which shall remain in full force and 6 effect as if the portion so declared or adjudged invalid or unconstitutional were not originally a part of the 7 resolution. 8 Section 4. Repealer. All laws,ordinances,resolutions, or parts of the same,that are inconsistent with 9 the provisions of this resolution, are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency. 10 ADOPT ' ly 5,2016 11 AT 40. APPROVED: 12 `411 • 4Air u 13 14 :‘!11:.i gley,City Clerk Mark Stodola,Mayor 15 • 'PR t ,1 AS TO LEGAL FORM: 16 17 ,j. 18 Thomas M. Carpenter,City Attorney 19 // 20 // 21 // 22 // 23 // 24 // 25 // 26 // 27 // 28 // 29 // 30 // 31 // 32 // 33 // 34 // 35 // [Page g 3]