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'POLLINATOR FRIENDLY' Ashland commits to be a bee city Official designation comes after city agrees to take steps to make city 'bee friendly' Comment By Tony Boom For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Tony Boom For the Tidings Posted Jan. 20, 2015 at 8:17 PM Updated Jan 21, 2015 at 12:20 AM By Tony Boom For the Tidings Posted Jan. 20, 2015 at 8:17 PM Updated Jan 21, 2015 at 12:20 AM » RELATED CONTENT • Guest Opinion: Heard the buzz about Bee City USA? • Festival spreads the buzz about bees • Talent earns Bee City USA designation • 'Bee Girl' keeps busy » Social News ASHLAND – City managers were already making moves to create a more pollinator-friendly environment before Ashland gained its official Bee City USA designation on Jan. 13. Parks and Recreation in December reworked the planting list for the new, seven-acre Ashland Creek Park, currently under construction. “Michael Black, the parks and recreation director, jumped on board right away with changes in plants for Ashland Creek Park,” said Kristina LeFever, who presented the pollinators' wishes to the city council and others. “They were starting down the path before we became a Bee City USA.” City Council approved a resolution and application for the designation Dec. 16. Ashland joins Talent and three North Carolina cities: Ashville, Carrboro and Matthews, as officially designated Bee Cities.The program encourages city leaders to raise awareness of the contributions of pollinators and to establish beneficial practices for them. “We saw an opportunity to look at the planting list before we ordered all these plants,” said Black. “It just took some people to bring it to the forefront and making it very clear we all benefit from this.” Whenever parks does new plantings or redoes older ones, it will make sure it’s setting an example going forward, said Black. “We’re pretty excited,” said Phyllis Stiles, program founder and director. “If lots of individuals and communities begin planting native, pesticide-free flowering trees, shrubs and perennials it will create large-scale change for thousands of species of pollinators at risk.” Ashland residents in the Pollinator Project Rogue Valley advocated for the designation. LeFever led the effort assisted by Ellen Wright, Karen Potts, Cara Cruikshank, Laura Bee Ferguson and others. Dolly Warden, who led the Talent campaign, assisted the group. “Everyone couldn’t be more pleased with the reception and support of the Ashland City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission,” said LeFever. “They made it easy for this to happen quickly.” LeFever wants the effort to spread beyond city-owned properties. “Where you look and see a barren lots or strips or grass along the greenways, what if we had all these different pollinator friendly plants?” asked LeFever. “Dandelions are healthful (to pollinators). If it became Ashland’s state flower we would have made a lot of progress.” A Bee City sub-committee that will meet four times per year will be formed under the Parks and Recreation Commission. The committee will include one commissioner and three public members. Libby VanWyhe, director of North Mountain Nature Park, will be staff liaison for the group. Creating policies to encourage pollinators will be part of the subcommittee's work, said Black. “We do a lot of community education about pollinators already,” said VanWyhe. “We have demonstration gardens surrounding the nature center and a few of those are designated to specifically support pollinators.” One plot in the new community gardens section at Ashland Creek Park will be have pollinator-friendly plantings to help educate the public, VanWyhe said. A Bee City USA sign will be put up in town and in June a pollinator week will be held. Individuals interested in serving on the committee need to apply by March 6. Information on applications can be found at www.ashland.or.us/BeeCityUSA. Email Ashland freelance writer Tony Boom at [email protected]. By Tony Boom For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Tony Boom For the Tidings Posted Jan. 20, 2015 at 8:17 PM Updated Jan 21, 2015 at 12:20 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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