The celebration also marked one year of CMU's Bee Campus designation
Colorado Mesa University’s Sustainability Council hosted Pollinator Week from September 1-6 to celebrate the importance of pollinators and mark the one-year anniversary of CMU’s designation as a Bee Campus with Bee Campus USA.
Throughout the week, students participated in activities designed to highlight the role of pollinators in the ecosystem and encourage sustainable practices. The celebration kicked off with a pollinator-themed trivia event, where students won sustainable items as prizes. On September 3, students planted native flora in the courtyard of Wubben Hall and Science Center and along the new Wubben Art Walk to promote more pollination on campus.
Educational opportunities were also part of the lineup. Endangered species conservation biologist Amy Dolan spoke with students about the challenges facing pollinators and how they can contribute to their conservation. Other events included a sunset watch party of Bee Movie, as well as a bee-themed tailgate before the home football game.
“Pollinators aren’t just cute little bees; they’re a variety of insects and animals that provide us with free ‘ecosystem services.’ It's in the name, but Pollinators pollinate plants, which about 35% of all food crops depend on,” said President of the Sustainability Council Ethan Otto, citing US Department of Agriculture statistics. “The number increases to 75% if you just look at flowering plants like peaches, apples, pumpkins, tomatoes and many others.”
The message was especially relevant for the Western Slope’s environment, where local agriculture, such as peach and grape farms in Palisade, relies on pollinators to support fruit production, in turn allowing a key pillar of the local economy to flourish.
“If native pollinators are promoted, we promote agriculture naturally,” Otto explained. “Without native pollinators, much of our agriculture of flowering plants would be much more expensive and significantly more difficult.”
By planting native species on campus and educating students about practices that promote pollinators, the Sustainability Council hopes to inspire students to support this unique feature of nature in simple yet meaningful ways.
Pollinator Week highlighted CMU’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, providing students with opportunities to engage, learn and make a difference.
