The City of Boulder moving towards Bee Safe Certification

“We want to set an example so other cities may not be so nervous about taking on one of these resolutions.”

Rella Abernathy is the Integrated Pest Management coordinator for the City of Boulder. She says the city has a pest management policy that already limits the use of pesticides on public lands and parks. The Bee Safe movement in Boulder is asking the city to take a further step with a new proposed resolution that would mean the city would commit to NOT using neonicotinoid pesticides on public lands, playing fields and parks and the city would urge homeowners and business owners to do the same. Neonicotinoids are the world’s most commonly used insecticides and are toxic to bees and as such are a major factor contributing to the global loss of bees.

Boulder City Council will consider the Bee Safe resolution at a public meeting on Tuesday, May 5th. There will be an open house at McGuckins Hardware Store in Boulder on Monday April 13th from 4-6pm. Rella Abernathy, the Integrated Pest Management coordinator, the City Forester and the City Parks Manager will be on hand to answer questions about the city’s pest management policy and the proposed Bee Safe resolution.

Find out more about Boulder’s Integrated Pest Management plan here.