Greenfield Named 'Bee City USA'

GREENFIELD, WI — Pollinators like bumble bees, mason bees, honeybees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, bats, hummingbirds and many others are responsible for the reproduction of almost 90 percent of the world's flowering plant species and one in every three bites of food we consume.

With that in mind, Greenfield was named as an official Bee City USA - the 102nd such Bee City in the U.S.

The Greenfield City Council approved the Bee City designation in December, after an effort that was led Mayor Michael Neitzke and City Forester Dennis Fermenich. They worked with the Greenfield Beautification Committee and the newly-formed Pollinator Protection Committee to make it happen.

As a Bee City, Greenfield will do the following: educate the public about the issues facing pollinators and how to help, provide a native plants list, integrate native plants in future city plantings and reduce the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides where possible.

A new Greenfield Bee City USA webpage is available on the city’s website where residents can find educational links, news and information about upcoming events, as well as where to find native plants.

Related Links:

• MMSD Pollinator Plant Selection Guide
• Sustainable Habitats for Pollinators Booklet
• Why Conserve Pollinators
• Wisconsin Bee Identification Guide
• Bee Basics: An Introduction to Our Native Bees

The designation also connects Greenfield with a national movement with access to support from the Xerces Society that encourages Greenfield residents to consider how best to landscape public spaces, using native plants and trees, and to reduce chemical use, organizers said.