Vancouver council approves Bee City USA affiliation after broad community support

The Vancouver City Council voted to approve a consent-agenda item on April 7 formalizing the city’s affiliation with Bee City USA, a nonprofit program that helps communities adopt pollinator-protection practices.

Council members heard multiple public comments endorsing the designation before the item was taken as part of a group motion to approve consent items. Kyle Roseland, board chair of the Vancouver Bee Project, told the council that the city and the project have worked together on community education, habitat enhancement and volunteer efforts and urged the council to “vote in favor of Vancouver becoming a Bee City USA.” Hailey (representing the Bee City effort) said the affiliation would align with National Arbor Day and Native Plant Appreciation Month and with the Xerces Society’s resources for conservation.

The item was presented alongside statements from the city’s nature-spaces and urban-forestry staff and volunteers. Charles Ray, the city’s urban forester, reported that the city planted more than 2,000 trees in 2024 and was on schedule to plant about 1,000 trees in the winter/spring planting season. Jane Tesner Cliner, program manager for the Lower Columbia Nature Network, and other community speakers described partnerships with schools, neighborhood planting projects and an upcoming Pollinator Festival on June 21 at Marshall Park.

Councilor Fox moved to approve a group of consent items that included the Bee City affiliation; Councilor Stober seconded. The motion was approved by voice vote as part of the consent agenda. The council did not take separate roll-call votes on the Bee City item.

Supporters said the affiliation formalizes existing city work and provides external resources and peer networks through Bee City USA and the Xerces Society. Speakers emphasized pollinators’ role in local food production and habitat, called for continued collaboration among the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, the Urban Forestry Commission and volunteer groups, and invited the public to the June pollinator festival.

The council’s approval places the city among more than 200 communities that have accepted Bee City USA resources and best practices. City staff and community partners said they would continue outreach and habitat work, including backyard habitat certification and public events to engage volunteers and residents.

The council approved the consent motion that included the Bee City item; because the item was approved as part of the consent agenda, no separate public hearing or subsequent vote was scheduled in the meeting minutes reported on April 7.