Here is a one-page guide to help community groups work toward becoming bee-friendly towns through a resolution or ordinance.  Our goal is to have many towns, if not all, adopt a resolution and the best practices that support our pollinator friends!  Note: even towns that don't immediately pass resolutions find that projects take off just by doing the education on what can be done to support pollinators.

Great Barrington (GB) become the first town in New England to pass a Pollinator-Friendly Community Resolution in May of 2016.  Sponsored by the Agricultural Commission, in 2018, Great Barrington hired three students from the Conway School of Landscape Design to create a "Pollinator Action Plan." Anyone is invited to utilize the Plan's Toolkit, containing detailed planting diagrams, plant lists, and maintenance instructions to guide the creation of a successful pollinator habitat network for a wide range of site conditions and parcel sizes.  The Plan is a masterpiece, so check it out!   

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To ensure the passage of a resolution, residents must reach out to townspeople (potential supporters and opponents), to educate them about reasons for the resolution, ask for suggestions and/or objections and discuss working together in support of pollinators locally. ​

Cummington Passed their resolution in May of 2017.  Since then there have been many educational talks, films, workshops, conversations and more planting!

Lanesborough passed their resolution in June of 2018.  We are waiting to hear from residents about any projects that are being planned.

North Adams City Council passed their resolution on 2/27/18.  It had been initiated by one of the council members who happens to belong to a CSA in Williamstown.  Our members worked with the city on clarifying issues and provided inspiration to pass the resolution.  The resolution promotes best practices that "allow residences, businesses, farms, and towns to manage their land in ways that increase pollinator forage."

Plainfield Town Meeting adopted their pollinator friendly resolution in May, 2017. Since then pollinator supporters have been: 

• Educating youth on pollinators and pollinator plants

• Showing public film “Hometown Habitat” by Doug Tallamy, followed by a panel with local pollinator and native plant experts. 

• Publishing article on turning lawn into pollinator friendly habitat.  

• Helping 7th grade science teacher bring lessons to students and get other teachers involved.