The City of Bridgeport, one of the most densely populated cities in the state, with the least amount of tree cover and miles of concrete is an unlikely place to attract and support bees and the habitats they thrive in.
But Bridgeport’s new initiative, BEEport is focused on doing just that. The initiative is a collaboration between Bridgeport’s Sustainability Office, Aspetuck Land Trust, and community champions.
Earlier this year, the Bridgeport City Council unanimously voted in become a Bee City USA, joining a national movement dedicated to protect pollinators and also greatly improve their natural habitats. Bridgeport, through the commitment, seeks sufficient landscapes for diverse pollinators, less overall pesticide use, and broader public participation in conservation.
“Bee City USA is a useful and enjoyable way for locales to join together to safeguard pollinators,” said Laura Rost, the national coordinator for Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA. “Places such as Bridgeport turn into Bee Cities since native pollinators require assistance, and cities can offer good habitat when they plant native plants, decrease pesticide use, safeguard natural nesting locations, and teach others regarding pollinator preservation.”
Reggy Saint Fortcolin, an outreach director with the Aspetuck Land Trust, who is working on the Bee City initiative, said the program is going well.
To date, Fortcolin has led Bee City team volunteers on a tour of the Garden of Joy, a community garden in the South End, and a tree walk led by Arborist Chris Tete to get people thinking about the ways to attract bees to the city.
“We looked at how to make community gardens more bee-friendly, to focus not just on food for humans but for pollinators too. Gardens like Garden of Joy provide crucial habitat and continuous food sources for native bees and honeybees, which are essential for pollinating fruits, vegetables, and flowering plants, ” said Fortcolin, a Bridgeport native. “We did a tree walk near Seaside Park looking at how trees work with insects. Many tree species—such as maples, lindens, and fruit trees—offer essential nectar and pollen sources for bees, particularly during early spring when few other plants are in bloom.”
There is also an idea to install apiaries around the city once it is determined allergy levels, he said.
Bee City USA, which is a program of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, supports communities in developing of sustainable habitats for pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, and moths, as well as hummingbirds. These species are important for ecosystems, as almost 85% of flowering plants depend on pollinators for reproduction, and they contribute to one in virtually every three bites of food consumed. However, many pollinators are facing alarming population declines because of wide-ranging habitat loss, pesticides, as well as climate change, said Rost.
“Up to 40% of pollinator species on the earth are still at a risk of extinction in all of the coming years,” said Rost. “Luckily, we know just what it is that we can easily do to help out. To protect those native pollinators, we can plant more native flowers, provide more natural nesting sites—like bare soil, leaves, stems, and logs—avoid using pesticides, and educate all others on just how they can take action.”
By becoming as a Bee City, Bridgeport will receive multiple educational resources, outreach materials, and staff support from within the Xerces Society. “’Bridgeport’ possesses a wonderful group of Bee City team members at the helm,” said Rost. “I anticipate witnessing what events and habitat projects ‘Bridgeport’ undertakes.”
If you are interested in joining Bridgeport’s Bee City initiative and becoming a Bee City volunteer contact Chadwick Schroeder in the City of Bridgeport Sustainability Office at Chadwick.Schroeder@BridgeportCT.gov
From FCN partner Easton Courier.
