Eric Riddle, Secretary and Program Co-Chair for the Sierra Club Winding Waters Group
Four years ago, members of the Sierra Club Winding Waters Group met with me to discuss plans for a “Pollinator Park” in Columbus. Both Sierra Club and the park committee shared the common goal of increasing native plants in Columbus.
Fast forward to the present, when, thanks in large part to the advocacy of the Sierra Club and other environmentally focused groups, Columbus has become the first Indiana affiliate of Bee City USA as of September 2021. Columbus City Council voted unanimously to accept the resolution to make the city’s commitment official.
The Columbus Pollinator Committee (CPC) now works with the support of the Columbus Parks & Rec department to meet the standards of Bee City USA.
The affiliation stipulates that Columbus will create and enhance pollinator habitat on public and private land by increasing the abundance of native plants, incorporate pollinator-friendly practices into city policies and plans such as reduction of pesticide use, and host pollinator awareness events.
In 2021, CPC led or collaborated in several successful projects, including growing and maintaining the Blackwell Pollinator Park, the landscape redesign, installation, and maintenance at Fresh Start Recovery Center, the 200 Tree Bicentennial Project, the beginning of the Airpark Pollinator Meadow, the screening of documentary, Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf at YES Cinema, and the formulation of the Blazing Stars CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) for Bartholomew County.
In 2022, a 1.3 mile “Pollinator Path” is being developed to connect the city’s first pollinator park and a new pollinator meadow. The Sierra Club will be leading the fundraising effort through utilizing the Patronicity crowdfunding website. Donations to the project will be matched by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority.
Also in 2022, It is hoped that IUPUC and Ivy Tech could achieve Bee Campus USA designation.
CPC will continue to offer public programming and resources about increasing pollinator habitat, advocate for smart policy decisions, and work closely with the City and private landowners to foster more sustainable land use practices.
The work of Dr. Douglas Tallamy and his Homegrown National Park movement will play an increasingly important part of local work as the pollinator committee supports local residents who develop native plant habitats on their property.
Over the last 4 years, Columbus has taken great strides. Personally, it led me to form great friendships with local Sierra Club members and now I am proud to be the Secretary and Program Co-Chair for the Sierra Club Winding Waters Group. I am thankful that our local group has led the effort in Columbus to promote and sell native plants each spring. Those plants have beautified the community and been a true inspiration for community collaboration. Native plants tie us to the land, to our ecological history, and to each other as we work together to help them thrive.
We hope your community can experience the same benefits through shared interest in native plants. Columbus Pollinator Committee encourages other cities in Indiana to pursue the Bee City USA affiliation. If you are interested in learning more, feel free to contact me at eric.r.riddle@gmail.com.
Ongoing Bee City activities in Columbus will be posted on the Friends of Pollinator Parks Facebook group.
(L) Blackwell Pollinator Park. Next to Columbus People Trail and trailhead location for new Pollinator Path. Pedestals in photo are part of Story Walk managed by Bartholomew County Public Library (R) Members of Columbus Pollinator Committee, Sierra Club, and Americorps at Blackwell Park at monthly volunteer event
Columbus Pollinator Committee Membership:
Bartholomew County Parks & Recreation
Bartholomew County Public Library
Bartholomew County Soil and Water Conservation District
Columbus Air Park
Columbus Parks & Recreation
Cosco
Ivy Tech - Columbus
Johnson Ventures
Loci Creative
Purdue Extension - Bartholomew County
Sycamore Land Trust
The Nature Conservancy
Winding Waters Sierra Club Group
About Bee City USA
Bee City USA® and Bee Campus USA work to galvanize communities to sustain pollinators, in particular the more than 3,600 species of native bees in this country, by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing the use of pesticides. Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA are initiatives of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Learn more at www.beecityusa.org
Primary Contacts
Eric Riddle, CPC Chair - eric.r.riddle@gmail.com
Jim Lemke, CPC Parks & Rec liaison - jlemke@columbus.in.gov