The native pollinator population is vital to the function of our native ecosystem and the vegetation and wildlife within it. However, the pollinator population is declining in Iowa due to habitat fragmentation and destruction, invasive species introduction and proliferation, pesticide misuse, and disease.  To help prevent further decline, the University of Iowa has committed to protecting our native pollinator population through becoming a Bee Campus USA affiliate. The University earned this designation through Bee Campus USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.  Bee Campus USA is dedicated to bringing people together to protect our native pollinator population.

As a certified Bee Campus, the UI is committed to:

Creating and enhancing pollinator habitat by increasing the abundance of native plants and providing nest sites

Reducing pesticide use

Offering educational opportunities that incorporate pollinator conservation

Providing service-learning projects that enhance pollinator habitat

For the UI, being certified will mean continued pollinator stewardship on campus and developing a support network to ensure that the work is sustained in the long term.

Barbara Wilson, the current president of the University of Iowa, supported the Bee Campus effort, stating that “sustainability is an important priority for the university” and becoming a Bee Campus will provide us with “a platform to demonstrate and communicate our commitment to addressing complex sustainability challenges.”

The UI has a Bee Campus Committee which includes students, faculty, and staff from the UI.  The committee is tasked with ensuring the UI meets its requirements to maintain Bee Campus USA affiliation.  If you would like to join the Bee Campus Committee, please email sustainability@uiowa.edu.

UI Bee Campus Resources