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While we were working on revising the pollinator proposal that we discussed a few months ago,the city <br />newsletter came out that mentioned that Arden Hills participates in the GreenStep Cities program.And <br />one of the actions that we can take to advance in the program is to participate in a preservation and <br />recognition program such as Bee City USA. <br />The main questions are: <br />●How much do we care about our rating in the GreenStep Cities program? <br />○We can submit our own pollinator proposal to the city council and,if it passes,reach the 1 <br />star level,or we can aim for the Bee City USA program,which could get us 3 stars (but at <br />a higher cost and with more steps to negotiate). <br />Best Practice Action 10.7 <br />GreenStep City Best Practices: Land Use <br />Design for Natural Resource Conservation No. 10 <br />Adopt development ordinances or processes that protect natural systems and valued <br />community assets. <br />Best Practice Action 7 <br />Support and protect wildlife through habitat rehabilitation,preservation and recognition <br />programs. <br />●The National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat program partners with cities, <br />neighborhoods,and communities of all kinds to become healthier,greener,and more <br />wildlife-friendly.Communities earn community-wide certification by certifying individual <br />properties (homes,parks,schools,businesses,and others)in their community as Certified <br />Wildlife Habitats and by doing education and outreach in their community. <br />●GreenStep worked with Audubon Minnesota to create a bird-friendly community recognition <br />program that counts actions cities have already taken in the GreenStep program.As of 2019 <br />the GreenStep cities of Bemidji,Hastings,Northfield,La Crescent and St.Paul are <br />recognized as Minnesota Bird Cities. <br />●Bee City USA works to galvanize communities to sustain pollinators,in particular the more <br />than 3,600 species of native bees in this country,by increasing the abundance of native <br />plants, providing nest sites, and reducing the use of pesticides. <br />1 star Report city actions that strengthen the ecology for birds,pollinators,other wildlife and for native <br />plants;for example,replacing a dam with a spillway/rapids to restore and enhance fish passage and <br />habitat. <br />2 star Register and begin work on completing actions in the Bird City MN program,Bee City USA, <br />or/and the Community Wildlife Habitat program. <br />3 star Be recognized as a Bird City Minnesota, Bee City USA, or/and a certified Wildlife Habitat.