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NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, Pollination is a critical part of food crop production worldwide, and WHEREAS, pollinator species such as birds and insects are essential partners of farmers in producing much of our food supply; and WHEREAS, as a group, pollinators are threatened by habitat fragmentation, pesticides, disease, and parasites, and WHEREAS, such threats have serious implications for ecosystem diversity and economic well-being, 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 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, in the Intermountain West, bees pollinate about $14 billion dollars worth of crops annually, and WHEREAS, one of those crops is Idaho's $17 million+ alfalfa seed crop that ranks second in the nation overall and first in production of dormant seed for cold climates; and WHEREAS, the University of Idaho is actively engaged in research to develop pesticides that protect valuable crops without harming pollinators or other beneficial insects; and WHEREAS, According to the American Institute of Biological Sciences, native insect pollination saves the United States agricultural economy an estimated $3.1 billion annually in crop production, and WHEREAS, Almost 90% of all flowering plants rely on animal pollinators for fertilization, and WHEREAS, Home gardeners recognize the role that pollinators play in producing colorful flowers and such familiar crops as watermelon, cantaloupe, apples, cherries, pears, plums, nuts, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, pumpkins, squash, and cucumbers, 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, Latah Soil and Water Conservation District, Palouse Prairie Foundation, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Idaho Conservation Data Center, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the NatureServe network, Palouse Land Trust, and the University of Idaho provide information and assistance to promote wise environmental stewardship, including the protection of soils, water, and habitats that support pollinators, and WHEREAS, National recognition for this fourth annual event is scheduled for June 21-June 27, 2010, NOW, THEREFORE, I, Nancy Chaney, Mayor of the City of Moscow, Idaho, do hereby proclaim the week of June 21 - 27, 2010 as National 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. DATED this 7th day of June, 2010. Nancy Chaney, Mayor Copy Copy Copy