Bee City Chattahoochee Hills

Bee City USA

Donate

The Bee City USA initiative of the Xerces Society is doing essential work galvanizing cities and campuses across the country to protect our pollinators. Their guidance and resources are essential in our own mission to do the same in Chattahoochee Hills. If you prefer to protect our pollinators through financial support you can donate to Bee City USA here, or to the protection of all invertebrates through the Xerces Society here.

Thank you.

Take the Garden Pledge

The pollinator protection pledge is part of the Xerces Society’s Bring Back the Pollinators campaign, which is based on four simple principles: Grow pollinator-friendly flowers, provide nest sites, avoid pesticides, and spread the word. With these core values, pollinator conservation can be adapted to any location, whether you tend an urban community garden or a suburban yard, work in a city park or on a farm. Learn more and take the pledge!

Tiered Garden Challenge

Every bit of pollinator friendly garden space makes a difference whether you have an apartment patio or acres of land. The following program is based on the Asheville Greenworks garden certification program and is designed as a guide to transforming any space regardless of your skill level! These garden tiers help guide gardeners get ready to greet pollinators for the first time as well as provide next steps for established gardens to continue to expand their pollinator havens. 

Are you interested in a Chattahoochee Hills pollinator garden certificate program? Let us know at beecity.chga@gmail.com.

Tier 1: Egg

For the beginner gardener and/or those with spatial constraints. This level is feasible for an apartment balcony. See our plant resources for plant ideas.

Egg Requirements

  • 6 native perennial flowering species
  • 1 larval host
  • Water source
  • Remove invasives
  • Avoid pesticides

Tier 2: Caterpillar

An attainable level for a beginning gardener or an easy certification for a seasoned pro. Don’t be discouraged by the tree/shrub requirements – there are plenty of smaller, affordable native shrubs to choose from. See “Starter Lists” for plant ideas. 

Caterpillar Requirements:

  • 2 native tree or shrub species
  • 6 native perennial herbaceous species
  • At least 2 blooming in each part of the growing season
  • 1 larval hosts
  • Water source
  • 1 form of shelter
  • Remove invasives
  • Avoid pesticides

Tier 3: Chrysalis

If you’re shooting for this level, ideally you already have a successful pollinator garden and might just need to add a few elements to become certified.

Chrysalis Requirements:

  • 3 native tree or shrub species
  • 9 native perennial herbaceous species
  • At least 3 blooming in each part of the growing season
  • 2 larval hosts
  • Water source
  • 2 forms of shelter
  • Remove invasives
  • Avoid pesticides

Tier 4: Butterfly

Your garden is a pollinator magnet! You’ve put in a lot of time and energy.

Butterfly Requirements:

  • 5 native tree or shrub species
  • 15 native perennial herbaceous species
  • At least 5 blooming in each part of the growing season
  • 4 larval hosts
  • Water source
  • 3 forms of shelter
  • Remove invasives
  • Avoid pesticides

Community Science

The Bee Conservancy Community Science Projects

Bee Better Certification – Bee Better Certified™ partners with farmers and food companies to conserve bees and other pollinators in agricultural lands.

Firefly Atlas – The Firefly Atlas is a collaborative effort to better understand and conserve the diversity of fireflies in North America.

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