Produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications
The Arboretum and Botanical Garden has announced a collaboration at the University of Maryland to earn the distinction of Bee Campus USA in time for Maryland Day on April 29.
PollinaTerps, a group of students, staff and faculty, including entomological, horticultural and environmental professionals, has launched the campaign to spur action and enhance support for native pollinators and their habitats on campus and beyond.
The Bee Campus USA program, an initiative from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, encourages universities and their surrounding communities to conserve native pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites and reducing the use of pesticides. It also raises awareness of the vital role that pollinators and beneficial insects play in the health of our environment, our food systems and society.
By earning Bee Campus USA recognition, UMD will join 158 other campuses nationwide recognized for their commitments to pollinator conservation in their landscapes and educational programs.
"It is an exciting effort to be a part of this community, to support a sustainable, beautiful campus while benefiting pollinators and the health of our local environment,” said Logan Martin ’25, an environmental horticulture major and conservation landscape intern with the UMD Arboretum. It’s great to see the enthusiasm for this movement from so many departments, students and groups on campus and in College Park.”
For more information on the PollinaTerps Bee Campus USA effort, contact Michael Ellis, horticulturist for the Arboretum and Botanical Garden, at mellis@umd.edu.
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