迪克西·里德

2021年3月11日

When wildfire smoke blanketed Northern California in November 2018 – leading to an unprecedented closure of the campus for more than a week – it was a difficult time for many, including honeybees in residence at 囊状态’s Bioconversion and Agricultural Collaborative (BAC Yard).

“If the air is smoky, bees are unable to forage or communicate with their queen. They get disoriented and freak out,” said Kristina Cullen, sustainability and energy analyst for 囊状态 Sustainability.

于是Cullen和他的同事带着浓缩的花粉团冒险进入校园，喂养成千上万只无法自己觅食的蜜蜂。

That act is not why 萨克拉门托 State is the newest certified affiliate of Bee Campus 美国, but it shows the University’s level of stewardship.

Bee Campus 美国, an initiative of the 英国无脊椎动物保护学会, honors 囊状态’s commitment to conserving pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing pesticide use.

This recognition adds to 囊状态’s green credentials, dating to the University’s designation in 2012 as a 美国植树节基金会授予的荣誉. It also stands with the 野生动物花园 certification given to 囊状态 by the National Wildlife Federation in 2020.

全国只有111所学院和大学是美国蜜蜂校园的附属机构。 萨克州立大学是加州10所大学之一，与姐妹州立大学加州保利圣路易斯奥比斯波，博彩平台海峡群岛和博彩平台北岭。

All three honors point to the University’s commitment to sustainability.

萨克州立大学占地300英亩，拥有3,714棵树，这些树通常吸引传粉者，对健康的自然环境至关重要。 最古老的树已经在那里种了70年了，去年，校园里又种了250棵树苗。

今年春天，地面工作人员正忙着在校园南缘现有的蜜蜂友好的杏仁林和果园附近种植一大片蓝莓。 This bit of urban agriculture is near the BAC Yard and Capital Public Radio’s garden, where 囊状态 Sustainability maintains 10 honeybee hives.

Minimizing pesticide usage is as important as providing pollinators’ feeding grounds. 工作人员仍然在田径场上喷洒除草剂，以保持大学比赛所需的高水平地面。 Elsewhere, however, crews are letting some “weeds” grow wild.

“We’re changing our philosophy around what constitutes a weed,” said Erik Skall, who manages the University’s Grounds and Landscape Services. “When a group of people recently spread wildflower seeds at the almond grove, it got me thinking: That’s actually a cover crop and a companion plant to the almonds, which you want to be pollinated.

“So I look around now, and instead of seeing weeds, I see greenery and opportunities to attract pollinators. In the past, those ‘weeds’ would have been sprayed multiple times a year.”

然而，蜜蜂仍然处于危险之中。

研究表明，全球本土传粉媒介的数量和范围都在显著下降，由于栖息地丧失、有害农药的使用和气候变化，多达40%的传粉媒介物种面临灭绝，Xerces协会说。

“When we’re losing bees at such an alarming rate, I think it’s important that we continue to plant native plants and reduce pesticides at our beautiful campus along the American River,” said Kristen Wonder, the University’s Waste and Sustainability coordinator.

“Getting the Bee Campus 美国 certification brings awareness to what Erik and his team are doing and holds us all accountable to continue.”

 

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