Title
Outlining the City of Saint Paul's commitment to being pollinator-friendly.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul is dedicated to promoting and maintaining a healthy urban and natural environment today and in the future; and
WHEREAS, pollinating insects, such as bees, are integral to a healthy ecosystem and to a wide diversity of essential foods, including fruits, nuts, and vegetables; and
WHEREAS, such pollinators, including native bees and other insects in particular, are threatened by the loss of natural flowering habitat, pesticide use, pathogens and parasites; and
WHEREAS, the more native plants introduced into any landscape attracts more native insect diversity, including predators, so fewer pests survive
WHEREAS, the use of pesticides for control of harmful pests sometimes has unintended consequences against beneficial insects such as bees and the insect predators which are often pollinators; and
WHEREAS, there has been increased scrutiny specifically on the link between a class of pesticides commonly used that contain neonicotinoids and a decline in pollinators; and
WHEREAS, the City’s Parks and Recreation Department conducts a number of activities that are aimed at increasing pollinator populations such as:
• Designs all new and renovated facilities with a consideration for adding natural areas with beneficial pollinator friendly plantings where possible.
• Actively restoring and enhancing naturalized park areas using pollinator friendly native plants.
• Provides ornamental gardens that now include high pollinator valued plants and currently display hundreds of hanging baskets with flowers sourced as non-neonicotinoid from growers, and grows thousands of additional plants in-house without the use of chemicals.
• Employs an existing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for all grounds work.
• With the exception of some ...
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