Community Projects

BLBC Chairman Ray Hopper and Help Save the Bees Foundation President Laurie Yarborough share a welcoming message to friends in attendance,  expressing gratitude to the Reno City Council and Parks Department for making it all happen.

President Laurie posing for the camera with Parks Manager Matt Brezina.  Matt is holding a jar of Laurie's honey, which she had just presented to him in gratitude for Matt's commitment and help in drafting the Resolution to become a Bee City USA affiliate.

Councilman Devon Reese applauds as Queen Bee Barb pulls the veil, revealing the official Reno Bee City USA sign, adorning the top of the black-and-yellow striped pole. Behind Barb, Melissa and Cecilia unfurl our 10' banner.

Celebrating our achievement L to R, Chairman Hopper, Ambassador Barb Fenne, Bee Friendly Reno Director Melissa Gilbert, Councilmember Naomi Duerr, Parks Manager Matt Brezina, City Horticulturist Ryan Sharrer, Parks & Rec Director Jaime Schroeder, HSBF President Laurie Yarborough, and TMCC Biology Professor Cecilia Vigil.

Helping us celebrate were members of the Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation. Bookending Ray and Barb are Ashley Butler (L) and Ann McLaughlin (R). 

Closeup of our official Bee City sign, with Reno's iconic BELIEVE sign on the far side of the Plaza.

Saturday afternoon at the Davis Creek Campground.  Ranger Nick Steuer (not shown) invited Debra Quackenbush from the Northern Nevada Beekeepers Ass'n and Ray Hopper from Help Save the Bees Found'n for a Saturday Ranger Talk on Bees and Pollinators.

Campers and kids from the nearby campground gathered for the afternoon Ranger Talk.

The outdoor setting was beautiful, surrounded by the forest at Davis Creek Park.

Debra spoke about Honey Bees and Beekeeping.  Here, she explains how swarming Honey Bees are not dangerous, just looking for a new home. 

Behind Debra you see Reno's brand new Biggest Little Bee City banner!

Hopper spoke about native bees and the differences between bee types.  Towards the end of the presentation they brought out an observation hive with live Honey Bees, and also on the table in front of Ray can be seen cages containing native Leafcutter Bees.

Kids and Teachers from the school celebrated Spring with a traditional Maypole, flower garlands and live music from the Renaissance.

A student admires the bees in an observation hive while Jen explains Bee City USA to a parent.

Barb Fenne ran the activity table where kids made their own genuine beeswax candle to take home.

Our proposal to ratify a Resolution committing Reno to pollinator health and making Reno a Bee City was placed on the City Council agenda for consideration on April 27.

Our City Liaison, Parks Manager Matt Brezina, explains the importance of our Resolution to the City of Reno.  Seated right, is Parks and Recreation Director Jaime Schroeder.

Master Gardener Barb Fenne is the Chairwoman of the Biggest Little Bee City USA Committee.  It was Queen Bee Barb that initially brought the Bee City idea to the HSBF board.

We were all given our 3 minutes of microphone time.  Here Northern Nevada Beekeepers Assoc. VP Emanuela Heller testifies on behalf of Reno's beekeepers.

Left to right, Matt Brezina, Help Save the Bees Foundation Director Ray Hopper, Reno Councilwoman Naomi Duerr, and  Barb Fenne smiling for the camera after a unanimous "Aye" vote by City Council.

Councilwoman Duerr celebrated by passing the first samples of her own honey out to Council members!  Duerr was already renowned for her green thumb -- we were happily surprised to witness her "coming out" as a new beekeeper!

HSBF board member Dan Rider explains the importance of pollinators to a TMCC student.

Northern Nevada Beekeepers Association had a great showing, with live honey bees!

TMCC Preschoolers released  beneficial predator insects.  No pesticides here!

March, 2022 -- River School Farm organized a spring work party, inviting volunteers to spruce up, do some pruning and spread mulch.  Farmer Tom of River School Farm gave a demonstration on pruning deciduous shrubs.

In the high desert of Reno, NV, bees are thirsty.  We have three of these watering holes for the birds and the bees.  Here is Beekeeper Ray showing off his freshly scrubbed and filled bee bath.  The wood block gives the bees a place to stand while drinking.

We placed our bee information booth nearby the work area.  Visitors read and downloaded brochures from Pollinator Partnership and Xerces Society about habitat improvement and pesticide reduction.

We had just been informed our Bee City USA resolution was coming up for Reno City Council vote next month, and proudly displayed our "Coming Soon" banner.

Jan. -- Our choice of location gives the habitat some shelter from winds, but happens to hide a layer of solid rock. Here we see HSBF board members attempting to dig through a layer of solid rock.

Feb. -- TMCC maintenance crew to the rescue!  With the addition of a layer of cement, the post is up, house is in place.  When the weather warms up a bit we'll stock it with nesting material.

Mar. -- Biology Professor Cecilia Vigil and HSBF board member Ray Hopper place a second story, facing South.

Hopper and Dr. Vigil labor on, while undergrad research student and recent winner of the Sam Lieberman Regents' Award for Student Scholarship, Cassandra Barber, takes a bow.

The boxes are filled to the brim with different sized reeds.  We will see which bees prefer which sized tubes.  Spring is close, the days are getting warmer and we should be see bees emerging soon, looking for nesting sites.

Shannon Swim (soon to be Walker Basin Conservancy’s Native Plant Nursery Manager) bringing in a batch of native and pollinator-friendly plants as new additions to Dandini Gardens.  These plants were donated from various projects, including the UNR/FWS Native Pollinator Gardens and the Sagebrush in Prisons Project. 

A volunteer group receiving planting instructions from team leader Kevin Burls of Nevada Bugs and Butterflies.  Our team consisted of Kevin; Ray and Jen from the BLBC USA team, AmeriCorps technicians and nature lovers from the community.

 Our assigned area was the Pollinator Garden.  That day our team added 101 pollinator-friendly plants to the Pollinator Garden.  That's Kevin, Ray and Jen, from L to R, with the Visitors Center to the rear.

Other Plantemonium volunteers from the community headed out with AmeriCorps technicians to the wetland areas, where they planted an additional 384 native plants!

Once the campaign season was over, the "Pollinator Posse" went to work and gave the discarded signs a higher purpose.

Ready for the silk screen.

Laika Press, a small community press located in the KWNK radio station, is available for rent.  With the help of Laika staff, the Pollinator Posse was able to print all the signs in a single afternoon!

Some distribution of signs is carried out by dedicated Pollinator Posse members.

The main pick up point for yard signs is Reno Food Systems'  Park Farm Stand, 3295 Mayberry Dr. on Sundays.

For more information about the Bee Friendly Campaign, email beefriendlyreno@renofoodsystems.org or visit https://www.renofoodsystems.org/beefriendlyreno

A volunteer group receiving planting instructions from AmeriCorps technicians.  Mt. Rose in the background is a popular ski destination.

The City of Reno has leased the abandoned Rosewood Lakes Golf Course to the TMPF for 30 years, with a 20 year option to renew.

Historically a wetlands area, the golf course was decommissioned in 2015 when the Veterans Parkway was built right down the middle of the fairway.  Since that time, it has overgrown with invasive weeds.

Home to many birds and other wildlife, TMPF is restoring the area and has recently opened it to the public as a Nature Study Area, with hiking trails, wildlife lookouts and interpretive signage.

Natural wetlands are rare in the Truckee Meadows and the Great Basin.  The Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation is taking advantage of this amazing opportunity to restore native habitat for native plants, birds, bees, and other wildlife.  Thank You, TMPF!

Barb Fenne and Ray Hopper were there to say "Thank You" to the TMPF volunteers and to promote Biggest Little Bee City USA

AmeriCorps technicians provided labor support.

Nice location, near Steamboat Creek.

HSBF board members put the finishing touches on a bee house.

Hollow Reeds provide nesting sites for native bees.

Descriptive sign adds an educational element to the bee house.