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THAT THIS COUNCIL HEREBY DESIGNATES THE CITY OF GAHANNA A BEE CITY USA(r) AFFILIATE.
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WHEREAS, the mission of BEE CITY USA is to galvanize communities to sustain pollinators, responsible for the reproduction of 90% of the world's wild plant species, by providing them with healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants free to nearly free of pesticides; and
WHEREAS, due in part to the tremendous diversity of wild native bees, along with the honey bees that were brought to the United States from Europe in the 1700s, we have very diverse dietary choices rich in fruits, nuts, vegetables and even dairy products--one in every three bites of food we eat is courtesy of insect pollination; and
WHEREAS, bees and other pollinators have experienced population decline due to a combination of habitat loss, use of pesticides, and the spread of pests and diseases; and
WHEREAS, pollinator-friendly communities can benefit local and regional economies through healthier ecosystems, increased vegetable and fruit crop yields, and increased demand for pollinator-friendly plant materials from local nurseries and growers; and
WHEREAS, an ideal pollinator-friendly habitat:
* Provides diverse and abundant nectar and pollen from plants blooming in succession throughout the growing season;
* Provides water for drinking, nest-building, cooling, diluting stored honey, and butterfly puddling;
* Provides undisturbed spaces (leaf and brush piles, un-mowed fields or field margins, fallen trees and other dead wood) for nesting and overwintering for wild pollinators
* Is pesticide-free or has pesticide use carried out with least ill effects on pollinators;
* Is comprised of mostly, if not all, native species of annual and perennial forbs, grasses, vines, shrubs, and trees in landscapes because many wild pollinators prefer or depend on the native plants with which they co-adapted;
* Includes, where possible, designated pollinator zones in public spaces with signage to educate t...
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