Communities along the Route 1 corridor have recently gained recognition for their efforts at boosting native pollinators.

Brentwood has a Pollinator Garden, Cottage City has a hive in its community garden and Edmonston created bee habitats in recycled tires in its middle school.

Hyattsville also created a bee-friendly food forest, Riverdale Park created an insect hotel, and College Park and Greenbelt were named official Bee Cities. University Park restored a wildflower meadow for wild bees, while a park in Mount Rainier teaches kids about their importance.

Just before Earth Day, the University of Maryland was also also recognized, being named as a “Bee Campus” due to efforts like its Honey Bee Lab and pollinator garden.

Scientists say the broad approach is helpful because each city has its own native bees. Creating areas where they can circulate help them move around, boosting the genetic diversity of the overall bee population.

You can learn more about how to help native bees in your own yard here.

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