Student Life

Bee City USA Founder Visits NCC

Phyllis Stiles

Phyllis Stiles, pollinator champion and Bee City USA founder at the Xerces Society, visited the Nash Community College campus on Tuesday, November 19 to present about the plant and pollinator relationship that supports the reproduction of nearly ninety percent of the world’s flowering plant species. Responsible for one in three bites humans eat, hundreds of thousands of species of bees, butterflies, bats, beetles, wasps, moths, birds, and flies provide mutual benefit through pollination. With special emphasis on native bees, Stiles explained why pollinators are declining and how each of us can help reverse those trends.

As a certified affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program, NCC follows a Campus Pollinator Habitat Plan featuring locally native, pollinator-friendly plants and a least toxic integrated pest management plan. The campus hosts events to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and annually sponsors and tracks student service projects to enhance pollinator habitats on-and off-campus. NCC biennially offers a pollinator protection course and incorporates pollinator protection topics into curriculum.

“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,” Stiles said.

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 for certification each year.

For more information about the application process for becoming a Bee Campus USA affiliate, visit http://www.beecityusa.org/application-campus.html.