Welcome, Pollinators! More than 75 percent of all flowering plants depend on pollination for survival, but due to habitat loss and pesticide use, pollinator populations are declining locally and worldwide. The City of Somerville is creating a plan to prioritize local pollinator health to establish and maintain a healthy and biodiverse urban ecosystem. The plan will be the first of its kind in a city as densely populated as Somerville, according to the City. “In Somerville, we are committed to supporting the health of all our residents, human and non-human alike,” said Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. “Municipalities have the power, and the responsibility, to support pollinators through our policies, designs, and public engagement. Our hope is that Somerville’s Pollinator Action Plan, produced in partnership with the community, will become a model for pollinator and wildlife conservation in challenging urban environments.” The Somerville Pollinator Action Plan https://news.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7c8b2bb1eb7a3015bc918660&id=... is forming an advisory committee to identify ways to create the best habitat for Somerville-specific and regional pollinators and wildlife in the city. The Advisory Committee will collaborate with City staff and a consultant team composed of experts in pollination, ecology, horticulture, and the urban environment to understand the interventions that a municipality can perform to create the most nurturing environment for pollinators. “We know from our research that dozens of pollinator species already use gardens in Somerville,” said Dr. Elizabeth E. Crone, a Somerville resident and biology professor at Tufts University. “Creating more gardens like these will provide resources right away for these species. Additionally, more gardens will also allow new pollinator species – ones that need a little bit more green space – to move into the city.” Residents are invited to apply for a seat https://news.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f7c8b2bb1eb7a3015bc918660&id=... on the advisory committee. Applications to join the committee are due by Oct. 21. --------------------------------------------- Photo credit: Artwork by Opioid Project participant Carol. Image courtesy of the Opioid Project. --------------------------------------------- This article is syndicated by the Somerville Wire municipal news service of the Somerville News Garden project of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.