Nash Community College Certified as “Bee Campus USA” Affiliate
NCC instructor and master gardener, Ken White, examines the honey in one of NCC’s two bee hives. White is a certified beekeeper.
Nash Community College is the 28th educational institution 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.
To earn the distinction, NCC established a Bee Campus USA committee to develop a Campus Pollinator Habitat Plan which includes a locally native, pollinator-friendly plant list with regional sources for the plants and a least toxic integrated pest management (IPM) plan. Additionally, as a certified bee campus, the college will host annual events to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and will annually sponsor and track student service projects to enhance pollinator habitats on-and off-campus. NCC will biennially offer a pollinator protection course and incorporate pollinator protection topics into curriculum.
“Imperiled pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of ninety percent of the world’s wild plant and tree species,” said Bee Campus USA director, Phyllis Stiles. “Nash Community College is a stellar example of the influence educational institutions can have on their students and the broader community. Their talented faculty, staff and students offer an invaluable resource for Twin Counties residents in seeking ways to manage ornamental landscapes in more wildlife-friendly ways.”
Nash Community College takes pride in its commitment to minimizing hazards to pollinators by using no neonicotinoid pesticides, and almost no glyphosate herbicide or other potentially dangerous synthetic pesticides. Each certified campus must reapply each year and report on accomplishments from the previous year.
The Bee Campus USA designation recognizes educational campuses that commit to a set of practices supporting 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 http://www.beecityusa.org/application-campus.html.
