Arlington: Learn How To Create A Wildlife Friendly Landscape During National Pollinators Week

Press release from the City of Arlington:

June 22, 2020

Pollinators play an essential role in our environment. They help maintain healthy and diverse ecosystems that other animals rely on for food and shelter.

Pollinators also are vital to our food supply. Approximately 80% of the global food crops require pollination. In the United States, 150 food crops rely on pollinators with an estimated worth of $10 billion per year.

What is a pollinator? Pollinators are any species that help move pollen from one part of a plant to another. This enables fertilization of the plants which creates seeds and fruit. Without the process of pollination, the plants cannot reproduce. The most common pollinators are bees, butterflies and moths, beetles, birds, bats and other small mammals. Learn more at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation https://www.xerces.org/ or Pollinator Partnership https://www.pollinator.org/.

The City of Arlington has been managing urban landscapes and public lands for decades. These areas provide recreational opportunities such as municipal parks and greenways. Most importantly, they provide wildlife habitat. The City of Arlington provides recommendations to developers and residents regarding the use of native and adapted plants to promote water conservation. Integrated pest management strategies have been implemented to reduce the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers on public land. These management principles help protects our local environment and promotes the creation of pollinator habitat.

Residents and businesses can help create habitat by using native and adapted plants in their landscapes and gardens that attract pollinator species. These plants conserve water, provide wildlife food and shelter while creating a beautiful landscape. Visit Texas Smartscape to learn about North Texas native and adaptive plants at www.txsmartscape.com.

In order to promote pollinator awareness and encourage the creation of pollinator habitat, the City of Arlington has become an affiliate of Bee City USA and continues to implement the Mayors Monarch Butterfly program. On June 9th Mayor Jeff Williams and the Arlington City Council will by proclamation observe June 22-28 as National Pollinator Week.

This press release was produced by the City of Arlington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.