Bee-ing Ramsey: Planning Pollinator Habitats

Abstract

This project was completed as part of the 2017-2018 Resilient Communities Project (rcp.umn.edu) partnership with the City of Ramsey. Ramsey is rich in natural resources, which are highly valued by residents. The City was in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan, including the natural resources component, and wanted to develop innovative strategies to identify, protect, and communicate to the public the value of natural resources. With a focus on protecting and restoring habitat for pollinators, students in Dr. Fernando Burga’s Land Use Planning class identified key pollinators and habitats, outlined existing pollinator-friendly policies in Ramsey, researched best practices in other communities to protect and expand pollinator habitat, and identified key opportunities to protect pollinators in conjunction with residential and mixed-use development, open space areas, and transportation corridors. A final report is available.