Norcross certified as bee friendly for second year

Bee City USA has renewed Norcross’ Bee City certification for the scond year. (Courtesy Bee City USA)

Bee City USA has renewed Norcross’ Bee City certification for the scond year. (Courtesy Bee City USA)

Bee City USA has renewed Norcross’ Bee City certification for 2020 thanks to the efforts of the Norcross Bee City Subcommittee.

Bee City USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, works with communities to help sustain pollinators by creating and enhancing habitats, reducing pesticide use and spreading awareness. Pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, bats and hummingbirds are responsible for pollinating 85 percent of the world’s flowering plants and more than two-thirds of the world’s crops, however their populations have been in decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change.

“The City of Norcross understands the importance of sustaining pollinators, which is why we applied to become a Bee City USA affiliate in 2018,” said Norcross Mayor Craig Newton.

Michael Brose, chair of Norcross’ Bee City Subcommittee, attributes the committee’s success with pollinator conservation to City Planner Hannah Knab who “helped provide essential supplies, promoted our events and coordinated our work with the Brookhaven Innovation Academy.”

View Norcross’s annual report along with those of other cities: beecityusa.org/annual-reports-city-2019. Contact Hannah Knab at 678-421-2027 or hannah.knab@norcrossga.net for information about Norcross’ efforts as a Bee City.