PDF Pollinator Event Press Release
Thurston County Now More Bee-friendly with Community Involvement
Pollinator Garden dedication and multi-jurisdictional pesticide ban celebration, June 24
OLYMPIA - There’s some good news for bees in Thurston County – our community is coming
together in a big way to make sure our lands are pollinator approved! On Wednesday, June 24,
join the Thurston County Bee Team, the Olympia Bee Keepers Association, and our partners at
the Panorama retirement community for a celebration of all of the work being done to help save
these fragile creatures.
The celebration will be held at Panorama’s new Pollinator Garden, a chemical-free bee and
butterfly safe haven. Planting pollinator friendly plants is the first step that all of us can take
towards helping bees make a comeback. If you want to start a garden of your own the Thurston
County Bee Team will be unveiling their new sign, designed by local artist Nikki McClure, to
designate pollinator-friendly gardens and lawns. The sign represents the community awareness
and action campaign to encourage healthy garden and lawn practices to increase forage for bees
and other pollinators.
In addition to the garden dedication, recognition will be given to Olympia, Tumwater, the LOTT
Clean Water Alliance, and the Nisqually Land Trust, who all signed a Thurston County
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) banning the use of neonicotinoid pesticides on their
properties. Neonicotinoids are a group of systemic chemicals that make pollen and nectar
poisonous to bees and are a key factor in the decline of bees. The MOU protects almost 13,000
acres of land throughout our community from these harmful substances.
What: Garden Dedication & Community Celebration for Pollinator Health
When: Wednesday, June 24, 5:30pm
Where: Panorama Pollinator Garden, parking at 1600 Sleater Kinney Rd SE, Lacey, WA 98503.
A shuttle will be available to take guests to the site.
