MOUNT VERNON – Pollinators like the honey bee (Apis mellifera) will get a welcome from Mount Vernon through efforts that earned it a Bee City USA affiliate certification.
During the summer of 2020, the Mount Vernon City Council adopted a resolution designating the City’s Shade Tree and Beautification Commission as the City’s Bee City USA sponsor. Earlier this month, the city was notified that it met the standards for certification as an affiliate of Bee City USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
That certification carries with it several responsibilities. The city must host at least one educational event or pollinator habitat planting or restoration annually that showcases its commitment to raising awareness of pollinator conservation and expanding pollinator health and habitat.
An inventory will identify city property that can be enhanced with pollinator-friendly plantings. The city also must adopt an integrated pest management plan that reduces pesticide use and expands the use of non-chemical pest management methods.
The city will erect 10 Bee City USA signs in the exact locations where its Tree City USA signage is placed. Mount Vernon is one of 12 Bee City USA communities in Ohio. There are seven Bee Campuses in Ohio, including Kenyon College in Gambier.
Mount Vernon’s Bee City USA affiliation opens doors for grants and partnerships designed to help meet its program commitments.
A Bee City Committee is charged with upholding these commitments and raising awareness of pollinator conservation, but it needs volunteers. Anyone interested can reach out by email to BeeCity@mountvernonohio.org.
