Anyone who has stepped outside when the flowers are in bloom has come across those small, striped insects that can be a nuisance during a peaceful summer picnic. However, between pollination and enabling plant and food production, bees’ existence is essential to the ecosystem.
Though there are more than 20,000 species of bees, this insect has become endangered over time. For example, the rusty patched bumble bee has lost 90 percent of its population in the last 20 years.
To help combat this change, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and Bee City USA are working together to protect invertebrates – such as bees, butterflies and beetles – and educate communities across the U.S. about bees’ necessity.
Breaking down a Bee City
Bee City USA was founded in Asheville, N.C. in 2012 with the mission of protecting bees.
Communities across the U.S. can apply to become Bee Cities by expressing their interest in bee conservation efforts and agreeing to uphold bees’ habitats in their local environments. These communities then commit to habitat restoration plans for invertebrates, action against littering and educational efforts.
Where are Bee Cities?
There are 258 Bee City USA affiliates and 225 Bee Campuses, with 48 U.S. states and territories – including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia – that participate in bee conservation efforts.
Vandalia, a suburb of Dayton, became the first Bee City in Ohio in 2016. As of 2026, there are 11 Bee Cities throughout the state, including local municipalities Gahanna, Galena and Lithopolis.
Gahanna, a Bee City since 2017, has created gardens and planted wildflowers in meadows. Drive through the city, and you’ll notice wildlife dotting roundabouts and medians, as well as stimulated pollinator growth in the city’s 18 acres of prairie land.
Ohio college campuses such as Denison University have also participated in fostering nature’s pollinators.
Students create Bee Hotels, combining science and art to create habitats for bees on the Granville campus. This project meets Denison’s goal of promoting habitat restoration to align itself with Bee City goals.
Countries including Canada, France, Kenya and Brazil have also worked to preserve bees. Slovenia has been a pioneer in bee conservation efforts because of its ban on the insecticide neonicotinoid.
The Groot Swartberg Nature Reserve in South Africa also preserves bees by focusing on educating tourists who visit the park. The nature reserve displays Hive to Home exhibitions that demonstrate the importance of bees in their habitats, encouraging tourists to respect their surrounding ecosystem.
Photos courtesy of Bee City USA - Talent, OR, Bee City USA - Shelby, OH, Katie Lamke/Xerces Society, Mark Starrett and Aimee Code.
Sandhya Kannan is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
