Washtenaw Community College has been recognized as a Bee Campus USA affiliate for the seventh consecutive year, honoring its work to support bees and other pollinators through campus landscaping, education and community involvement.
Bee Campus USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, recognizes colleges and universities that create pollinator habitat, reduce pesticide
use and educate their communities about pollinator conservation.
In 2025, WCC created or enhanced 632 square feet of pollinator habitat through two new garden plantings. Designs were created by Center for Sustainability & Responsibility work-study students, guided by the WCC Bee Campus USA Committee. The spaces were prepared by WCC Facilities and planted by members of the Students 4 Sustainability club.
Plant selections include witch hazel, black currant, white sage, bee balm, yarrow, sweetgrass, yellow and purple cornflower, and wild geranium.
The college also hosted or helped with 11 pollinator-related events and outreach activities attended by a total of 530 people. Activities included a wildflower nature walk, gardening presentations and a library display showing visitors how to make a bee water station. In addition, 157 students participated in five service-learning projects to enhance pollinator habitat.
WCC maintains an integrated pest management plan that limits pesticide use and designates areas such as the Food Forest and Washtenaw Technical Middle College hoop house as pesticide-free zones.
WCC first received the Bee Campus USA designation in 2019, becoming the third affiliate in Michigan and the 88th in the nation. Today there are 229 campus affiliates nationwide and five in Michigan.
Learn more about the college’s Bee Campus USA program.
Tags: Awards, Bee Campus USA, Campus News