FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| Paul Hankamp Sustainability Committee Chair (650) 574-6626 hankampp@smccd.edu |
Phyllis Stiles Director, Bee Campus USA & Bee City USA (828) 545-4282 beecampususa@gmail.com |
College of San Mateo Named Nation’s Third “Bee Campus USA”
San Mateo, CA— In February 2016, the College of San Mateo and Bee Campus USA announced that College of San Mateo is the third institution of higher education in the nation to be certified as an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program, designed to marshal the strengths of educational campuses for the benefit of pollinators.
College students, faculty, administrators, and staff have long been among the nation’s most stalwart champions for sustainable environmental practices. In embracing the recommendations of the college’s Sustainability Committee, President Michael Claire said, “We are proud to be named the third certified Bee Campus USA in the nation. There already are many students, faculty and staff working on pollinator health and sustainability issues and the members of the Sustainability Committee will provide good leadership to our Bee Campus USA efforts. CSM students and faculty look forward to kicking off our Bee Campus efforts with workshops as part of our Earth Day Celebration.”
Said Bee Campus USA director, Phyllis Stiles, “Imperiled pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of two-thirds of the world’s plant and tree species. The College of San Mateo has the potential to start a pollinator protection movement across campuses throughout Silicon Valley. Their talented faculty, staff, and students offer an invaluable resource for the entire community seeking ways to manage ornamental landscapes in more wildlife-friendly ways.
According to Executive Director of Facilities Planning and Operations Karen Powell, College of San Mateo plans to develop a Campus Pollinator Habitat Plan for its 153-acre landscape to include a locally native and pollinator friendly plant list with regional sources for plants as well as a least toxic integrated pest management (IPM) plan to be shared on the web as a tool for the community at large.
Facilities Manager Michele Rudovsky said, “Through ongoing dialogue among members of the Bee Campus USA subcommittee of the Sustainability Committee, the College of San Mateo will become a student and a teacher of sustainable practices. Its membership includes faculty, students and operations and maintenance staff. Our goal is to model pollinator-friendliness in our landscaping practices by incorporating locally native plants and using as few and the least toxic pesticides as possible.”
Biology Instructor and faculty chair Paul Hankamp said, “We believe Bee Campus USA certification will provide our college with an important platform for fostering wider conversations on and off-campus regarding pollinator awareness and initiating student service projects that could benefit the San Francisco Peninsula. We are excited about offering courses or workshops on pollinator ecology, integrated pest management, or landscaping for pollinators, and hosting annual campus events to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators. We want to celebrate our college’s certification as a Bee Campus USA.”
Each certified campus is expected to post educational signage in appropriate places. For example signs in the cafeteria might explain the role of pollinators in food production. Each certified campus also must reapply each year and report on accomplishments from the previous year. Other institutions of higher education are invited to explore completing the application process outlined at beecampususa.org.
About Bee Campus USA and Bee City USA
The Bee Campus USA designation recognizes educational campuses that commit to a set of practices that support pollinators, including bees, butterflies, birds, and bats, among thousands of other species. For more information about the application process for becoming a Bee Campus USA affiliate, visit beecampususa.org.
Bee City USA® urges local governments, individuals, organizations, corporations, and communities to promote and establish pollinator–friendly landscapes that are free of pesticides. Since its inception in Asheville, North Carolina in 2012, fourteen more cities have been certified and many others are in the process of preparing applications. For more information about the application process for becoming a Bee City