Rapid City taking the lead in honoring Pollinators in the Black Hills

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) -Mayor Steve Allender declared June 20th through the 26th as Pollinator Week in Rapid City. He is asking people to participate in activities that help save habitats for pollinators like bees, birds, and butterflies.

In addition to the proclamation, The Rapid City Sustainability Committee along with the City’s Parks and Recreation Department held a booth at Saturday’s farmers market. Their goal is to educate the public on why pollinators like bees are essential for human life and vegetation... along with what can be done to reverse their declining population.

Lysann Zeller, a member of the Rapid City Sustainability Committee says that people should get out and plant more flowers in the community.

Zeller states “We can plant more habitat; we can get involved with local organizations that are helping to work on these issues. We can preserve resources and learn more about bees and butterflies. Preserve habitats, those are some of the main ways.”

According to pollinator.org more than 75 percent of all flowering plants on the earth need help with pollination, allowing the production of fruit and seed. Bees contribute to pollinating more than 200 billion crops in the U-S alone each year.