Posted on Dec 05, 2022 | Blog,News
Bee Campus USA Presents to the KLB University Sustainability Coalition
Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) and University Sustainability Coalition co-chairs, Dr. Jerrod Penn of LSU and Jordan Stewart of Tulane, were pleased to recently welcome guest speaker Laura Rost from the Xerces Society to present to Coalition members on the Bee Campus USA program.
Coalition members learned how they can utilize the Bee Campus USA program to mobilize their campus communities to protect pollinators.
As an affiliate of Bee Campus USA, a school’s commitments include:
- Increasing the availability of native flowering species
- Providing appropriate nesting substrates
- Finding alternatives to harmful pesticides
- Educating and spreading awareness
These efforts on college campuses are vital, as up to 40 percent of pollinator species may be at risk of extinction in the coming years.
In addition to benefiting pollinators, the Bee Campus USA program benefits its affiliates. Schools receive a welcome package with pollinator conservation resources, access to an online portal, educational signage, promotional tools, support from experts in the field, and more. Affiliation also earns two Grounds Certification exemplary practice credit points in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS).
Since 1971, the Xerces Society has worked to protect wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. Bee Campus USA has 152 affiliate colleges and universities across the country. The two Bee Campuses in Louisiana are KLB University Affiliates and Coalition members, LSU and University of Louisiana Lafayette. KLB looks forward to witnessing this number growing as Coalition members continue to network and share the benefits of becoming affiliates of Bee Campus USA.
To learn more about Bee Campus USA and Bee City USA, visit beecityusa.org.
