Welcome to Bee Campus USA

Dear UMD Bee Campus team,

Congratulations! Bee City USA® is pleased to inform you that University of Maryland has met the standards for certification as a Bee Campus USA affiliate. We are so happy to have you on board.

About Native Bees

Bees transfer pollen between flowers, enabling the incredible diversity of plants on our planet to flower and fruit. Pollinators are a keystone species in essentially every ecosystem on earth, enabling the reproduction of over 85% of all flowering plants and 67% of agricultural crops. In addition to the well-known honey bee (Apis mellifera), a species brought to the United States from Europe, there are more than 20,000 described species of bees globally, and around 3,600 species of bees native to the United States. While bees are the most important pollinator, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, wasps, bats, and hummingbirds also contribute to pollination.

Pollinator Decline

Research has shown significant declines in native pollinator population sizes and ranges globally with up to 40% of pollinator species on earth at risk of extinction in the coming years as a result of habitat loss, the use of harmful pesticides, and climate change.

About Bee Campus USA

Thinking globally and acting locally, Bee Campus USA provides a framework for communities to work together to conserve native pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing the use of pesticides. Bee Campus USA and Bee City USA are initiatives of the The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Commitments

You will have one calendar year to get your Bee Campus efforts up-and-running. Your first reporting date is Feb 28, 2025. The renewal fee is the same amount as the application fee. The renewal report form can be found on your profile when your account manager logs in. View commitments.

Your New Resources

Your customizable Bee Campus USA affiliate logos and street sign files are available here.

We have a new Pesticide Reduction Outreach Kit to help with your community outreach work.

Visit our website to learn more about pollinators, sign up for free webinars, and connect with other affiliates!

Warm wishes,

Bee Campus USA Team