The Vancouver Bee Project, established nearly four years ago, works with area businesses, schools and residents through workshops to educate the public on how to protect native bees.
Kyle Roslund, head chair of the Vancouver Bee Project, explained that human development and the introduction of non-native plant species have created challenges for the over 600 native bee species in Washington. He emphasized the critical role that pollinators like bees play in maintaining the health of local ecosystems and the food supply.
“If pollinators go away, that’s gonna be a problem for humans in a lot of capacities. Because we, we won’t have enough [bees], we won’t have enough food to eat, and that’s the problem from a food perspective. I think biodiversity is, is super important, maybe more important than what people think, and just from an overall kind of ecosystem health standpoint, the more [species] the better. You have plants that can’t survive without biodiversity because you have to have certain pollinators to pollinate them,” Roslund explained.
Promotion of native flowers
One of the Vancouver Bee Project’s major initiatives is advocating for planting native flowers in landscaping. Roslund highlighted that having a variety of native plant species can significantly benefit bees. While Washington is home to several species of generalist bees that feed on multiple flowers, many specialist bee species rely on specific native flowers as their sole food source. Roslund noted several bee species in Washington feed exclusively on Canadian goldenrod, a native flower.
“A lot of native bees can only travel, you know, 500 to 1,000 feet. … So if you don’t have flowers within 1,000 feet of where they’re living, you’re not going to have those bees because they need to be able to travel to food in order to live, right, and so habitat fragmentation, I think, is really, really crucial, and that’s why so many people just making small changes in their yard or in their business landscape can really make a difference,” Roslund said.
This year, the Vancouver Bee Project is launching its 2024 Native Plant & Seed Library. This outdoor event will allow residents to take a mix of free native plant seeds, with the opportunity to drop off their own. The event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, at River City Church, 2400 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver. Additional dates will be announced later.
Meadowscaping
The Vancouver Bee Project also advocates for residents with open spaces to learn to meadowscape for native plants in large yards and open areas. Future courses provided by the organization will be announced at vancouverbeeproject.org. For landowners or gardeners interested in this practice, understanding site preparation is key. The Vancouver Bee Project offers free courses on this topic, emphasizing that native plants often struggle to thrive among invasive weeds, which compete for sunlight and nutrients.
In Vancouver Bee Project courses, participants explore various methods to safely remove invasive weeds and grasses harmful to native plants. One approach involves smothering the ground with a tarp. Though the process is highly effective in killing weeds and its seeds, the process takes over a year. The Vancouver Bee Project discusses other meadowscaping methods for areas of different sizes or with fewer weeds. Roslund said, above all else, chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides and fungicides should be avoided at all costs.
“All the bees in North America are vegetarian and, you know, they’re eating the plant pollen and nectar as well, and if you have chemicals in those pollen and nectar that have been taken up from the soil, that’s a problem for them, right?” Roslund said.
A presentation on native bees and proper meadowscaping will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the CASEE Center, Building B, Room 205, 11104 NE 149th St., Brush Prairie. Participants must register by calling (360) 737-1160 or emailing info@naturescaping.org. Registration costs $15 for non-members.
Understanding native bee habitats
The Vancouver Bee Project also educates locals on creating suitable habitats for bees. Even if native flowers are present, native bees will not simply appear; they need appropriate nesting sites. Roslund explained that leaving areas of bare soil, free from heavy mulch or bark, can encourage ground-nesting bees. Residents can also build small houses for Mason bees, which prefer to nest in wooden cavities. However, Roslund cautioned that not all Mason bees sold locally are truly native, and he encourages residents to seek out resources on the Vancouver Bee Project’s website.
“So it’s good for people to kind of throw that whole thought of honey bees out of their heads because it doesn’t really apply to most bees. Most bees live in the ground, and if they don’t live in the ground, they live in cavities, and so we try and, you know, we do workshops to teach people, you know, what are good ways to support bees, what are good ways to support that habitat creation. Those ground nesting bees actually need bare ground in order to nest in,” Roslund said.
People can learn more about the Vancouver Bee Project at vancouverbeeproject.org. Resources for bee habitats, local flowers and meadowscaping methods can be found on the website. Residents can also learn more about local landscaping for pollinators through a handbook from the West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District at tinyurl.com/3cxsyjxu.
