Making the City Pretty!A comprehensive urban forage

plan

Beth ConreyPresident, CO State Beekeepers

Association

Why Forage?

• National Pollinator Losses– Overall Populations

• Monarch• Bees

– Native bees– Honey bees

• Bee Issues– CCD– Varroa/vectoring issues– Disease– Pesticides– Nutrition

www.heathwood.org

Why Forage?

Is this good?

For you? For them?

Is this good?

For you? For them?

Better?

For you? For them?

Best?

For you? For them?

Photo Credit: Rilke

Optimal Forage• Needs to be clean and safe

– Pesticide free– Organic

• Needs to offer floral diversity– 3 season nectar– 3 season pollen– A variety of shapes and colors

• Needs to be accompanied by– Clean and safe water– Housing opportunities

Photo Credit: Rilke

Urban Stats

• 80% of US population lives in urban areas, 60% in population centers greater than 200,000.

• Urban areas account for 3% of total land available• So—why not focus on the other 97%?• Because we are going to focus on the 80%!

There’s POWER in NUMBERS!

40%

32%

10%

7%

6%5%

Urban Land Use

ResidentialTransportationInstitutionalOpen Space and RecIndustrialCommercial

Urban Forage is Doable!

• Because it requires:– Little time– Little money– Little skill

• Because everyone can help!• But it requires extensive public education

Who doesn’t like flowers?

40%

32%

10%

7%

6%5%

Urban Land Use

ResidentialTransportationInstitutionalOpen Space and RecIndustrialCommercial

So how do we get it done?Residential Solutions

• Sell the Benefits!– Plants cool and cleanse the air– Reduce energy/non-renewable resource use– Create a peaceful setting– Native plants require less resources– Native plants attract and sustain wildlife

• Provide the Education!– Distribution materials– Talks– Booths– Media

So how do we get it done?Residential Solutions

• Form Strategic Partnerships!– Volunteer groups—environmental/historical/civic/social etc.– Home Owners/Neighborhood associations– Youth groups—Scouts/4-H/etc.– Gardening/Food Groups– Package/Nuc folk

• Procure Money!– Grants/Subsidies?– Corporate/Civic/Government Donations?– Volunteer time?

So how do we get it done?Residential Solutions

• Tailor Solutions for Residential Density Differences!– Container Gardening/Green Roof for High-Density– Turf Mitigation/Flower Lawns for Low-Density– Gardens/Urban Farms for Urban Blight– Innovative Solutions for New Development (DSA)

• Don’t reinvent the wheel!– Landscape for Life– Garden Contests

• Habitat Hero/Certified Bee Gardens/California Friendly• Greenest Block in Brooklyn/Street Tree Stewards• Branch Out Cider/City Citrus

40%

32%

10%

7%

6%5%

Urban Land Use

ResidentialTransportationInstitutionalOpen Space and RecIndustrialCommercial

Why Urban Forage?Transportation Solutions

• Sell the Benefits!– Roadside Plantings• Enhance the beauty of the environment• Reduce erosion• Minimize mowing costs• Increase safety for mowers due to less exposure• Lessen storm runoff• Control invasive plant species• Improve soil quality• Reduce litter

So how do we get it done?Transportation Solutions

• Roadside Plantings

Photo Credit: Florida Highway Dept.

Why Urban Forage?Transportation Solutions

• Sell the Benefits!– Median Plantings

• Have psychological benefits– Seem to have a positive effect on motorists’ mood and behavior– Citizens report feeling safer

• Improve the environment– Trees absorb carbon dioxide and pollutants– Reduce erosion and storm water runoff– Reduce litter– Provide shade and reduce glare– Reduce the city “heat effect”

So how do we get it done?Transportation Solutions

• Median Plantings

Photo Credit: High Country Gardens

Why Urban Forage?Transportation Solutions

• Sell the Benefits!– Parking/Hell Strip Plantings• Eliminate mowing• Takes care of a problem in a beautiful way• Help with runoff• Increase curb appeal

So how do we get it done?Transportation Solutions

Parking Strip Plantings--Before Parking Strip Plantings--After

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

So how do we get it done?Transportation Solutions

• Provide the Education!– Talk to your

• Legislators• State DOT• Municipality• HOA/Neighborhood Association

• Form Strategic Partnerships!– Alternative transportation groups– Environmental groups/Water and weed groups– City Foresters– Local nurseries/garden centers– Service Associations/Groups

So how do we get it done?Transportation Solutions

• Procure Money!– Grants/Subsidies?– Creative Funding—license plates– Municipal Encouragement

• Tailor Solutions for Roadway Differences!– Municipal street departments– Water conservation groups

• Don’t reinvent the wheel!– Adopt-a-Highway projects– Adopt-a-Median projects– “Rip the Strip”

40%

32%

10%

7%

6%5%

Urban Land Use

ResidentialTransportationInstitutionalOpen Space and RecIndustrialCommercial

So how do we get it done?Institutional Solutions

• Who is the Institutional Component?– Schools• District• Alternative/Charter Schools• Higher Education

– Places of Worship– Government

So how do we get it done?School Districts/Alternative and Charter

Schools• Sell the Benefits– Improve test scores– Increase understanding of science and math

concepts– A great way to learn about the environment• Land stewardship• Pesticides• Biodiversity• Food production

So how do we get it done?School Districts/Alternative and Charter

Schools• Sell the Benefits!– Teacher Benefits:• Increased teacher effectiveness• Better preparedness• Increased job satisfaction• Utilize more teaching time outside

– “Ripple Effect” within the Community

So how do we get it done?School Districts/Alternative and Charter

Schools• Provide the Education!– Distribution materials

• Educational Materials from Resource Document• Stickers/Bookmarks

– Talks• Administration• Parents

– PTA/PTO

• Children– Classroom– After School Clubs– Other organizations (Scouts/FFA)

So how do we get it done?School Districts/Alternative and Charter

Schools• Form Strategic Partnerships!– PTO’s/PTA’s– Xerces/Pollinator.org/Pollination Planet– Departments of Ag– Farm to Table (School)/Other Food Programs– Curriculum Coordinators—“Adopt a Hive”

So how do we get it done?School Districts/Alternative and Charter

Schools• Procure the Money!– It’s EVERYWHERE! (Theoretically)

• Don’t Reinvent the Wheel!– Plant Project– Smart Potatoes– Pollinator Photo Contests for upper grades

So how do we get it done?Higher Education

• Sell the Benefits!– Already a part of most mission statements– Healthier Learning Environment– “Learning by Leading”

• Most do not “Walk the Talk”– Notable Exception• UC Davis

Honeybee Haven

Photo courtesy of MK-Accounting.com

So how do we get it done?Higher Education

• Provide the Education!– Public Demand• Land Grant Expertise Demand• Extension

– Student Demand• Sustainability

– Academia itself?

So how do we get it done?Higher Education

• Form Strategic Partnerships!– Solicit Institutional Support• Student Organizations

– Sustainability/Entomology/Ecology

• Grounds/Maintenance Departments• Alumni Associations

– Community/Business Support

So how do we get it done?Higher Education

• Procure the Money!– Probably from the Strategic Partnerships– Corporate monies/Endowment– Crowd Funding?

• Reinvent the Wheel for Higher Education!– This is an area sorely needing a project model.

So how do we get it done?Places of Worship

• Sell the Benefits!– Part of mission• Feed the poor—food gardens• Educate the children—community gardens• Beautifying derelict property in cities• “All God’s creatures”

– Decrease costs of property maintenance– Increase energy efficiency

So how do we get it done?Places of Worship

• Provide the Education!– Distribution materials– Pollinator Partnership Brochures• Buddhism/Christianity/Islam/Judaism

– Sermons– Letters– Money, money, money!

So how do we get it done?Places of Worship

• Form Strategic Partnerships!– Interfaith Opportunities• Common interest area

– Church Leadership/Committees– Membership diversity

So how do we get it done?Places of Worship

• Procure the Money!– Maintenance/Grounds Budget– Grants

• The Tributary Fund

• Don’t Reinvent the Wheel!– A Rocha

• Eco congregation

– “Green the Church” Campaign– “Engaging your Congregation in Pollinator

Protection”

So how do we get it done?Government

• Sell the Benefits!– Economic value– Healthy people=healthy communities– Better resident and visitor experience– Decrease costs of property maintenance– Increase energy efficiency

So how do we get it done?Government

• Provide the Education!– Presidential Memorandum (Top Down)• Federal Agency Plan• State Agency Plan

– Grass Roots Advocacy (Bottom Up)

So how do we get it done?Government

• Form Strategic Partnerships!– National/State/Local• Environmental and Conservation Groups

– Xerces/Pollinator.org/Sierra Club/Audobon etc.– PANNA/CFS/Credo/Beyond Pesticides etc.

• Agricultural Groups– Growers Associations

• Hunting and Fishing Groups– Pheasants Forever/Trout Unlimited

Pollinator Pathway

Photo Courtesy of the Project

So how do we get it done?Government

• Form Strategic Partnerships!– Federal

• USDA/EPA/USFS/NPS etc.

– State• Natural Resources

– Soil/Water/Land Conservation Boards

• Transportation

– Local• Sustainability coordinators• Urban planners• Open Space/Parks/Rec Commissions

People’s Garden Initiative

Photo Credit: NRCS

So how do we get it done?Government

• Procure the Money!– Funding through a variety of programs

• Don’t Reinvent the Wheel!– Lots of successful programs already in your

resource guide– Nectar analysis

Plan—Year 1—2014• Begin Pollinator City Program– Don’t reinvent the wheel—Bee/Tree/Bird– Determine and approach 2 test communities

• Begin the Residential Outreach– Give Talks– Give out seeds with Nucs/packages

• Begin the Transportation Outreach– Talk to CDOT/Legislators

• Begin the Institutional Outreach– Letters to churches with land/beekeepers?– Municipality engagement

Plan—Year 2—2015

• Continue and Expand the Residential Outreach– Give Talks– Give out Seeds with Nucs/Packages

• Continue and Expand the Transportation Outreach– Introduce (and PASS!) a Highway Bill in State legislature– Modify Adopt-A-Highway to include planting/weed

management

• Continue and Expand Institutional Outreach– School District– College

Plan—Year 3—2016

• Continue and Expand the Residential Outreach– Give Talks– Give out Seeds with Nucs/Packages– Turf Mitigation Discussion

• Continue and Expand the Transportation Outreach– Turf Mitigation Discussion

• Continue and Expand Institutional Outreach– Corporate Campuses

Plan—Year 4—2017

• Tweak Pollinator City Plan and begin Statewide and Nationwide rollout

Go make YOUR city pretty!

Thank you