Bee City USA
Bee City April-May Events
Webinar Series
Bees and Soil: Why the regenerative agriculture movement matters to bees, with beekeepers Sarah Red-Laird and Fonta Molyneaux. Wednesday, May 12 at 4 p.m. Join with this Zoom Link or find it in the Facebook event details.
Summer Plants and Pollinators: June 9 [registration link coming soon]
Bee Count
Catch, identify, and release native pollinators alongside native bee experts.
Alton Baker Park with August Jackson from Mt. Pisgah Arboretum. Wednesday, April 28 from 12-2 p.m.
Rasor Park with nature expert Rick Ahrens. Wednesday, May 5 from 12-2 p.m.
First Saturday Park Walk
Take a walk along Amazon Parkway, enjoying spring blooms and looking for pollinators. Saturday, May 1 from 9-11 a.m.
This walk can also be done as a self-guided tour along the Amazon south path from Frank Kinney Park to the pedestrian bridge at 37th Ave. Signs will be up through late May.
Bioblitz
Help us identify as many species as we can during the City Nature Challenge at Wild Iris Ridge Park. Monday, May 3
Eugene Public Library Celebrates Bees in May
Activity Kits for Kids - Pick up a free take-home bee craft kit at any Eugene Public Library location: Downtown, Bethel, or Sheldon. Created by UO Bee Campus students. Starting Monday, May 10, while supplies last.
Family Storytime Online - Join library staff for bee-themed stories and songs on Facebook Live (no account or log in needed). Watch live on Tuesday, May 18, 11 a.m., or enjoy later.
Self-guided StoryWalk - Enjoy a children’s picture book posted page by page surrounded by the wildflowers and pollinators of the Whilamut Natural Area. This StoryWalk features “Honeybee: A Day in the Life of Apis Mellifera” by the award-winning team of writer Candace Fleming and illustrator Eric Rohmann. In Alton Baker Park near the Community Gardens and Native Plant Nursery on Day Island Road. May 21 – June 20.
Bee Booklist - Browse recommended titles for adults and kids to learn about bees, available free with your Eugene Public Library card: bit.ly/EugBeeBooks
Seed Library - Get free seeds to grow or donate seeds to share, including pollinator-friendly plants: bit.ly/EugSeedLibrary
For more information, visit Eugene Public Library or call 541-682-5450.
Eugene Joins the National Effort
On July 23, 2018, Eugene City Council unanimously passed Resolution #5240 to become a Bee City USA, joining more than a hundred other cities and campuses across the country united in improving their landscapes for pollinators. The Council’s action is the culmination of months of effort by the Eugene Pollinator Protection Committee to accomplish this certification.
The Eugene Pollinator Protection Committee includes City of Eugene Parks and Open Space, GloryBee, Beyond Toxics, Walama Restoration Project, Xerces Society and Lane County Audubon.
For more information, email Emily Steel, Parks and Open Space Ecologist, or call 541-682-4874.
Native Plants
- Pollinator-friendly and native plant lists:
Be a Bee Citizen
Support pollinators where you live:
- Volunteer at the City’s Native Plant Nursery
- Plant pollinator-friendly plants in your garden
- Reduce or eliminate pesticide use
- Make a house for native bees
- Take the Pollinator Protection Pledge
- Learn more about protecting bees and pollinators:
- Bring Back the Pollinators (Xerces)
About Bee City USA
Bee City USA began in Asheville, NC, which kicked off the program in June 2013 with their eponymous declaration. Bee City “encourages city leaders to celebrate and raise awareness of the contribution bees and other pollinators make to our world.”
Bee City helps municipalities coordinate efforts to make a difference, and also to network with each other to share information. We look forward to participating both locally and with our colleagues across the nation!