Celebrate National Pollinator Week with Projects at Home or Through Arlington Community Events

By Melissa Walker, Environmental Education Specialist

Posted on June 13, 2023, June 13, 2023

On June 13th, Mayor Jim Ross and the Arlington City Council issued a proclamation to observe June 19-25 as National Pollinator Week. Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds, and bats play an essential role in our environment.

Pollination occurs when pollen is moved in and between flowers of the same species leading to fertilization which produces seeds. Animals that facilitate pollination are called pollinators and they help create and maintain diverse ecosystems and are vital to our food supply.

 The City of Arlington encourages residents to learn about the importance of pollinators in our community and promotes the creation of pollinator habitat on public and private property. Pollinators provide ecosystem services that support wildlife and native plant communities in the following ways:

•  Native plant diversity provides food and shelter for birds and other wildlife
•  Pollinator habitat helps remove pollutants from stormwater runoff improving local water quality
•  Diverse plant communities prevent erosion and maintain healthy watersheds
•  Flowering plants help return moisture to the atmosphere which is integral to the water cycle
•  Flowering plants utilize carbon dioxide to produce oxygen.

 Residents and businesses can help by creating pollinator habitat. Using native and adapted plants in landscapes and gardens to provide food, nest and egg laying sites, and protection from predators will attract native pollinators. Native plants are drought and pest tolerant which helps reduce pesticide and fertilizer use and conserves water resources.

Find out which native plants grow well in our region by visiting www.txsmartscape.com and learn about our local pollinators at www.arlingtontx.gov/beecityusa.

You can also join us this Saturday, June 17 at the Lake Arlington Native Plant and Pollinator Garden for a presentation on local pollinators and their host plants or come be a part of our Pollinators of Arlington citizen science project on June 22 at the Southeast Tarrant County College Campus.

 If you would like to be a part of our Pollinators of Arlington project, send an email to [email protected] to receive more information. You can sign up for the pollinator presentation by visiting the City of Arlington’s Water Utilities Water Conservation page.