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2012 Pollinator Week WHEREAS, Pollination is a critical part of food crop production and biodiversity worldwide; and WHEREAS, Pollinators, including bees, moths, flies, beetles, wasps, bats, hummingbirds, and butterflies pollinate agricultural products valued at tens of billions of dollars every year in the United States; and WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, about 35 percent of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce; and WHEREAS, One of those crops is Idaho's alfalfa seed crop that ranks second in the nation for overall production and first in production of dormant seed for cold climates, with an annual estimated value of more than $17 million; and WHEREAS, In home gardens, pollinators play important roles in producing flowers, apples, cherries, plums, pears, nuts, berries, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, watermelon, and cantaloupe; and WHEREAS, Pollinators are threatened by habitat fragmentation, pesticides, disease, and parasites; and WHEREAS, Citizens are encouraged to reduce pesticide use and create pollinator habitats in their yards, schools, and other nearby lands to reduce the demise of pollinators; and WHEREAS, The City of Moscow Comprehensive Plan includes preservation of open space and park land and planting of trees and native plants as desirable practices; and WHEREAS, Pollinators are critical for reproduction of many native plant species, including wildflowers and native trees and shrubs; and WHEREAS, Pollinators help maintain healthy wildlife populations by supporting ecosystems that include nutritious berries and seeds; and WHEREAS, Latah Soil and Water Conservation District, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Idaho Conservation Data Center, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the NatureServe network, Palouse Land Trust, USDA NRCS Plant Material Center in Pullman, and the University of Idaho provide information and assistance to promote wise environmental stewardship, including the protection soils, water, and habitats that support pollinators; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Nancy Chaney, Mayor for the City of Moscow, Idaho, do hereby proclaim the week of June 18 - 24, 2012 as Pollinator Week in the city of Moscow, and I encourage citizens to avoid unnecessary use of pesticides and to nurture habitats that promote the vitality of pollinators and restoration of their populations that support us in so many significant ways. DATED this 18th day of June, 2012 Nancy J. Chaney, Mayor Copy Copy Copy