Volunteers, including students from the softball team, seed the bee garden at the corner of McLaughlin Blvd. and Ft. Vancouver Way.
Getting the beautiful native wildflowers that bloom across campus in spring requires the help of many hands to spread seeds.
Volunteers follow Steven Clark through the Japanese Friendship Garden on the way to the planting site.
Despite rescheduling due to snowy weather, volunteers from throughout Clark College donned boots, gloves, and warm clothing to sow wildflower seeds in the cold at several bee garden locations on campus on February 19 and 20. Even the softball team organized to come out.
They sowed a variety of native seeds including yarrow, camas, lupine, Oregon sunshine, Clarkia, checker mallow, blue-eyed Mary, western burnet, and desert parsley. The gardens receiving fresh seeds this year are the ones that required re-tilling. Most of the time, the wildflowers will self-seed, leaving seeds on the ground to grow the following year.
Volunteers learn about the native bee population from Steven Clark.
Steven Clark, Bee Campus Project Manager, said “I love having volunteers because while bees are wonderfully self-sufficient, this is our opportunity to help them to be happy in our gardens. We broadcast the seeds by hand and it’s a fun activity to do here and to do in your own yard.”
Enjoy strolls across campus and see the Bee Campus gardens from late May to early July, peaking in June, following the flowering of the Shirofugen cherry trees in April.
Volunteers stand in front of the Clark College sign at the corner of McLaughlin Blvd. and Ft. Vancouver Way.
In April 2023, Clark College earned certification as a Bee Campus affiliate, becoming the fifth college in Washington to earn that distinction. A Bee Campus USA affiliate is a college campus that includes a bee habitat.
In the spring of 2023, students, staff, visitors, and, importantly, bees, saw native flowers sprouting up in gardens across campus. These flowers and natural areas where bees can make nests and lay eggs are helping Clark establish this bee habitat. Clark College—and other Bee Campus USA affiliates—show that the built environment (such as campuses, neighborhoods, city parks, and even roadsides) can feature a thoughtful design that allows bees to thrive in shared areas.
The large, blooming gardens of native wildflowers that pop up each spring on Clark’s campus don’t happen by accident, but through careful maintenance by Bee Campus Project Manager Steven Clark, the Bee Committee, and the help of our community.
We need volunteers to sow wildflower seeds at several bee garden locations on campus on Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14. Consider it your Valentine’s gift to native bees and other pollinators.
Although the flowers from last year scattered their own seed, a couple gardens this year need re-tilling, which means we need to plant fresh seeds in a few spots. The seeds are sown now, in the winter months, so they can take root in the soil and grow.
If you wish to volunteer, wear shoes and clothes appropriate for muddy, chilly conditions and prepare to walk over uneven terrain.
Clark who coordinates the college’s Bee Campus initiative has led the college in planting native wildflowers, to make the campus more attractive to bees and other pollinators. These flowers and natural areas where bees can make nests and lay eggs are helping Clark establish this bee habitat.
Pollinators—including mason bees, bumblebees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, and hummingbirds are essential for the planet. They are responsible for the reproduction of almost 90% of the world’s flowering plant species and 30% of our food.
Depending on the weather, look out for flowers to start popping up in April with full bloom in mid-May.
About Bee Campus
An important aspect of our Bee Campus certification is education; you can find several interesting facts about bees at the Bee Gardens
In April 2023, Clark College earned certification as a Bee Campus affiliate, becoming the fifth college in Washington to earn that distinction. Clark joined 165 other college campuses and 179 cities across the country united to make their landscape attractive to pollinators.
Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA are initiatives of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, a Portland-based nonprofit. Bee City USA’s mission is to galvanize communities and college campuses to sustain pollinators by providing healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants that are free of pesticides.
A Bee Campus USA affiliate is a college campus that includes a bee habitat. Clark College—and other Bee Campus USA affiliates—show that the built environment (such as campuses, neighborhoods, city parks, and even roadsides) can feature a thoughtful design that allows bees to thrive in shared areas.
Biology Professor Steven Clark shows staff a bee he caught in the wildflower garden.
Thanks to Clark’s Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) for organizing a Bee Campus Talk and Tour with Steven Clark, biology professor and Bee Campus project manager on June 5.
The Teaching and Learning Center sent this invitation to faculty and staff: “We are buzzing with excitement to invite Biology professor and Bee Campus project manager Steven Clark back to spread the good news about Clark’s status as a Bee Campus. Want to learn more about what that means and how to get involved? Want to know how Clark students have participated in this very cool work? Want to learn fun things about bees and go for a stroll in a beautiful garden? Me, too! We will see you there.”
First, faculty and staff gathered in PUB 161 to learn so many interesting bee facts from Steven Clark. When Professor Clark asked people how many types of native bees live in North America, the lowest guess was 3. The highest was 300. What’s your answer?
Q: How many types of native bees live in North America?
A) 3 B) 80 C) 300 D) More
Professor Clark shared the answer: More than 600!
After sharing bee facts, bee habitat, bee life cycles, and much more about bees, Professor Clark led the group across Fort Vancouver Way to the bee garden outside the T Building. Clark’s campus has several bee gardens, thanks to Professor Clark’s leadership.
Clark’s wildflower gardens are abuzz with bees. Notice the orange balls of pollen on this bee’s body.Biology Professor Steven Clark catches a bee in the bee garden.
He caught a few types of bees and other pollinators in jars so that participants could get an up-to-close look. It was an amazing opportunity to learn more about bees and see our gardens of lovely wildflowers.
Clark students have contributed to our Bee Campus by performing bee surveys, building mason bee houses, creating information signs, and more. There are now interpretive signs at the bee gardens explaining and sharing of fun facts about bees.
If you haven’t seen the campus bee gardens yet, make time to do so. It’s best to visit on a warm day when it’s not raining. Professor Clark explained that when it’s cold and rainy, bees go dormant awaiting warmer temperatures.
Softball players sow wildflower seeds along the college’s southern border at McLoughlin Blvd. on February 13, 2024.
In the sloping field between McLoughlin Boulevard and the softball field, the Penguin softball team gathered around Steven Clark, biology professor, and Bee Campus project manager.
First, he talked for a few minutes about the importance of native bees. He told them Clark is a certified Bee Campus that plants native wildflowers to attract native pollinators.
Because native wildflower seeds are expensive, costing about $160 per pound, Professor Clark explained the importance of scattering a handful of seeds over a wide area. Holding a sack of native wildflower seeds, he demonstrated the preferred seed-sowing technique.
Then directing the players to form a line and spread out, he walked down the line as each player grabbed a handful of seeds.
Sweeping their arms back and forth, the softball teammates sowed seeds as they walked uphill. With so many hands helping, the job was quickly completed.
The Penguin softball team was just one group of students, faculty, and staff who helped Professor Clark sow 18 pounds of seeds on about three acres in several areas around campus in mid-February. All these areas were seeded last spring, too.
As winter turns to spring and warmer weather arrives, the seeds will sprout. Wildflowers will bloom. The bees will emerge from being dormant underground and will feast on wildflower pollen.
Professor Steven Clark introduces the purpose of the project to volunteers before planting begins.
Bee campus by the numbers:
Acres sown with native wildflower seeds: 3
Pounds of seeds sown: 18
Informational Bee Signs around campus: 11
Campus Bee Gardens include:
STEM Building
Clark College Foundation
Foster Hall
Baird Administration
Clark College sign at McLoughlin Blvd. and Fort Vancouver Way
McLoughlin Blvd. and softball field (across from Marshall Community Center)
In April 2023, Clark College earned certification as a Bee Campus affiliate, becoming the fifth college in Washington to earn that distinction. A Bee Campus USA affiliate is a college campus that includes a bee habitat.
In the spring of 2023, students, staff, visitors, and, importantly, bees, saw native flowers sprouting up in gardens across campus. These flowers and natural areas where bees can make nests and lay eggs are helping Clark establish this bee habitat. Clark College—and other Bee Campus USA affiliates—show that the built environment (such as campuses, neighborhoods, city parks, and even roadsides) can feature a thoughtful design that allows bees to thrive in shared areas.
Informational signs have been placed at the bee garden sites to provide valuable bee information. The signs were created by Clark College welding students.
What’s happening with the Bee Campus in 2024?
Tilling the soil: Last fall after the wildflowers had finished blooming, aggressive non-native grass overwhelmed many of the Bee Gardens. Tilling disrupts the non-native grasses, so they do not overwhelm flowers.
Planting more flower seeds: The flowers from last summer self-seeded into the soil, reducing the number of seeds that needed to be sown this spring. However, tilling the soil drove some seeds too deep into the soil to germinate, so Professor Clark ensured some extra seeds were sown.
Bee signs: Eleven informational bee signs were erected around campus last December. Now people can read about the biology of bees, where they nest, what they eat, how many species we have, and much more.
Native bees in winter: It’s unlikely to see bees on campus this winter because the bees are safe underground. Most of the adult bees that flew from flower to flower last spring and summer have died, but the eggs they laid (mostly underground) have hatched and are progressing toward adulthood. They will develop into adult bees this winter, but the new adult bees will stay underground until the flowers bloom. Although thousands of bees are on campus right now, they are dormant underground and are waiting for the flowers of spring.
Members of the Penguin softball team pose with Professor Steven Clark.
Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish
Clark College newly certified by Bee Campus USA
Have you heard the latest buzz?
Just in time for Earth Day, Clark College was certified as an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program on April 20, joining 165 other college campuses and 179 cities across the country united to make their landscape attractive to pollinators.
“Through a variety of sustainability initiatives, college students, faculty, and staff have championed creating environmentally friendly campuses,” said Clark College President, Dr. Karin Edwards. “I was fortunate to help sow wildflower seeds on campus in early spring. I anticipate that we will be enjoying beautiful native wildflowers—and seeing more bees on campus—in the coming months.”
Biology Professor Steven Clark is coordinating the college’s Bee Campus initiative and has led the college in laying groundwork, such as planting native wildflowers, to make the campus more attractive to bees and other pollinators.
“Bee Campus helps bees because we provide food and habitat for bees,” Clark said. “But it may help humans more because we learn how to live in harmony with nature.”
Pollinators—including mason bees, bumblebees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, and hummingbirds are essential for the planet. They are responsible for the reproduction of almost 90% of the world’s flowering plant species and 30% of our food.
As part of the college’s Bee Campus initiative, it is offering opportunities for student research and service learning. Faculty, staff, and students have worked together to study and create pollinator habitat with native plants.
As a certified Bee Campus, Clark College will offer education to students and community members about the region’s native pollinators, potentially via biology labs, community science research contributions, environmental science service learning, Continuing Ed seminars, and Bee Units offered to nearby elementary schools.
During Clark’s Take Your Child to Work Day event on April 27, he led a group of college employees and their children on a bee walk just outside the front door of the STEM Building. Within minutes the kids were identifying and counting mason bees, bumblebees and more.
Professor Clark will teach two Clark College community education courses focused on bees and their habitat. Bee Walks and Bee Lives begins May 26. Bee Walks and Bee Biology begins June 6. Both courses include classroom time followed by a “bee walk” around campus.
Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA are initiatives of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, a Portland-based nonprofit. Bee City USA’s mission is to galvanize communities and college campuses to sustain pollinators by providing healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants that are free of pesticides.
