Bee City Wichita
Making Wichita an oasis for native pollinators.
As an official affiliate of Bee City USA, Bee City Wichita brings the community together to sustain pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing the use of pesticides throughout the Wichita metropolitan area. Bee City Wichita also works to inspire others to take steps to conserve pollinators through education and outreach.
Wichita is committed to pollinators.
The title of Bee City is awarded by The Xerces Society to cities that officially declare a commitment to wild pollinators—and that demonstrate they’re doing it. To become an affiliate with Bee City USA, the City of Wichita committed to these goals with a resolution signed by City Council.
Grassland Groupies leads the Bee City Planning Committee to help coordinate efforts to meet this goal.
By providing space for pollinators, we also increase our green space for people. This provides Wichitans new opportunities to get outside, connect with each other, and learn together. Our ultimate goal is to create a city that is a thriving environment for people, plants, and pollinators alike.
Bee City Affiliate Requirements
Bee City Wichita’s resolution outlining exact goals can be viewed below. For a full listing of Bee City commitments and to learn more about the initiative, visit the Bee City USA website.
Bee City Wichita's 2024 impact in numbers
31,255 sqft of new native pollinator habitat through 2024.
The Bee City Wichita initiative directly contributed to restoring and creating 31,255 sqft of pollinator habitat in the Wichita metropolitan area through 2024, and we’re just getting started.
Volunteers poured 140 hours of labor into local native gardens throughout the year.
8,720 people learned about native pollinators through Bee City Wichita programs.
The case for native gardens in Kansas
Once established, native plant gardens take very little or even no extra watering to keep looking great. Saves you time and money.
Not just insects will thank you for the good meal and a place to raise their young. The birds will too along with all of our other native wildlife.
Native gardens change and grow with time. If allowed to, the plants will replenish themselves and spread, saving you money over annuals.
Native plants are beneficial not only to the environment around you but can lower the time and money spent on a garden. Every garden needs upkeep, so planting native is still a commitment.
When looking for native plants, it’s best to use plants grown near your bioregion. That’s why we recommend sourcing from the local growers on our native gardening resource page.
ICT Bee Fest celebrates native pollinators
ICT Bee Fest is the flagship education event run by Bee City Wichita, and the largest celebration of pollinators in Kansas. This free annual event at the Mid-America All-Indian Museum celebrates native pollinators, native plants, and related gardening and conservation topics.
By changing our gardens to be filled with beautiful native flowers, grasses, and shrubs we can make a huge difference. These native plants provide food, shelter, and a place to raise young that cannot be matched by non-native plants. It’s time to rethink our endless expanses of lawns.
Help us garden in Wichita
We need volunteers to create and take care of gardens and green spaces throughout the city! We also plan group work days to help improve habitats and always need extra hands/tools.
These events are always open to the public. Find them here or on the Grassland Groupies Facebook page under Events.
Support us at our merch store!
Bee City Planning Committee
Meet the Bee City Planning Committee! This group meets often to discuss future projects and possible areas of improvement in Wichita. While not an official board for the City of Wichita, we communicate closely through our city Liaison to ensure meaningful collaboration.
We want to have a committee member in each city council district so if you see a need that you think you can fill, reach out to learn more.
- Nicole Brown, Committee Chair, District 3 Representative, Grassland Groupies
- Rachel Roth, Committee Co-Chair, Grassland Groupies
- Gary Farris, City Liaison, Park and Recreation
- Krista Dallinger, Kansas Native Plant Society
- Dexter Mardis, District 1 Representative
- Dr. Ana Jurcak-Detter, District 4 Representative
- Seth Macy, District 6 Representative
Attend a public committee meeting
Committee meetings are free and open to the public, hosted at the Advanced Learning Library on the fourth Tuesday of every month.
We have a public comment period from 6:30-7:00 PM where people are welcome to give ideas or feedback on the initiative. Afterwards, updates and discussion will be led by the committee from 7:00-7:30.
Advanced Learning Library
711 West 2nd St N, Wichita, KS 67203
6:30-7:30PM, Advanced Learning Library
Keeney Stevens Board Room (2nd floor, left of stairs)
If you have a comment/proposal you would like to make during the meeting please email Nicole ahead of time to save a timeslot: nicole@grasslandgroupies.org
September’s meeting is private for volunteers preparing for ICT Bee Fest. November/December the committee does not meet.
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