By admin 
Save the bees!
That’s the idea behind a new executive order from Gov. Jared Polis, whose previous jobs have included beekeeper and (online) florist.
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While visiting the Denver Zoo’s pollinator garden Wednesday, Polis announced an executive action to protect bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The insects are facing habitat loss because of drought, invasive species and exposure to pesticides, the governor said as he directed state agencies to take further action.
“Pollinators help grow everything we love in Colorado,” Polis said in a news release. “From the peach groves and corn fields across the Western Slope to the Rocky Ford melons, and the mountainsides of wildflowers in Crested Butte, we need pollinators.”
The state departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture, Transportation, Corrections and Human Services were ordered to reduce the use of pesticides and use pollinator-friendly controls when needed. The executive order also directs the departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture, Transportation and Local Affairs to support local governments and private landowners in efforts to protect and plant pollinator habitat. And it orders the transportation department to expand bee and butterfly habitat along state highways.
It’s not the first time Colorado’s governor has acted on behalf of bees.
Under Polis, Colorado Parks and Wildlife created the “invertebrate and rare plant initiative” and the State Land Board was ordered to use bee-friendly seed mixtures and plants on its leased land.
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A study ordered by legislation and signed by the governor in 2022 led a team of pollinator researchers and conservationists to recommend “immediate action” to protect bees and butterflies.
The latest executive action will help private landowners and local governments who want to decrease the use of neonicotinoids, which are among the most dangerous pesticides for pollinators, said Allison Johnson, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Those pesticides can contaminate soil, water, pollen and nectar, she said.
“Pollinators are essential to Colorado’s food security, wildlife, wildflowers, and outdoor heritage,” Johnson said in an email.
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