Forests_green_space + Wildlife_habitat

8:55 Whereas pollinators, including more than 4,000 species of native bees in the United States, are essential partners in producing much of our food supply, contributing to approximately one third of the food and beverages consumed. Whereas pollinators also help our environment by keeping ecosystems in cities healthy and diverse, improving our quality of life and boosting the local economy. Pollinator populations are declining due to habitat loss, pesticide use, invasive species and climate change. Recent findings from the Washington State Bee Atlas identified nearly 30 new or rare native bee species statewide, including four in Clark County, highlighting both the urgency and opportunity for local conservation action.

9:53 And the city of Vancouver manages more than 1,600 acres of parks, natural areas and green spaces that provide important habitat for pollinators. The city of Vancouver offers recommendations to builders and community members regarding landscaping and caring for the land. They encourage the use of native plants and the protection of habitats to help pollinators and strengthen the ecosystem. Now therefore, I, Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Mayor of Vancouver, Washington, do hereby proclaim the week of June 22 through 28 as National Pollinator Week in the city of Vancouver. As a Bee City USA affiliate, we urge community members to recognize Pollinator Week and invite all to learn from educators and community-based organizations at the third annual Pollinator Festival on June 20th, 2026. Kyle?

10:59 (people chattering)

11:30 - Good evening, Mayor and Council members. My name is Kyle Roseland and I'm the founder of the Vancouver Bee Project. On behalf of our volunteers, partners and community members, I'd like to thank you for recognizing Pollinator Week in Vancouver through this proclamation. Pollinators are essential to healthy ecosystems, local food production, urban forests and the quality of life we enjoy here in Vancouver. Washington is home to more than 600 native bee species and thanks to the work of the Washington Bee Atlas, we now know that there are approximately 110 native bee species documented right here in Clark County and in Vancouver. Vancouver continues to demonstrate leadership through its Bee City USA designation, support for pollinator habitat projects, urban forestry initiatives, the Nature Spaces Program and community partnerships that help residents take action for pollinators. This proclamation helps raise awareness that everyone may make a difference by planting native flowers, reducing pesticide use, protecting nesting habitat and supporting healthy urban ecosystems.

12:29 I'd also like to invite folks to our Pollinator Festival that's happening Saturday, June 20th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festival is a free family-friendly event taking place at Marshall Park, Vida Elementary, Clark Public Utilities and the Arts Hub. This year's festival will feature vendors, educational exhibits, art, garden tours, a bee walk, activities for children and a nationally recognized keynote speaker, Doug Tallamy. The festival celebrates the partnerships that make pollinator conservation possible including that with the city of Vancouver and its many community organizations. And I hope you'll join us by celebrating Pollinator Week and learning how small actions can make a big difference in a community like Vancouver. Thank you. - Thank you, Kyle. Haley? (audience applauding)

13:22 - Good evening. - One more time. - Okay. - Until it turns, there you go. - Got it, okay. Welcome to the new chambers. All right, good evening, mayor, council, staff and community, my name is Haley Heath. I work in the Parks and Rec department and manage our Nature Spaces program. Thank you very much for the continued support of Vancouver's pollinator work. Since becoming a Bee City USA community in 2025, we've strengthened partnerships, especially with the Vancouver Bee Project. And we've expanded habitat across the city. Thank you very much, Kyle and partners for that support and work. Through Nature Spaces, a city program that brings people together to restore and enhance public spaces with native plant habitat, more than 1,000 volunteers have planted over 8,200 pollinator-friendly plants. This is just one example of the broader work across Vancouver to build healthier,

14:21 more resilient and pollinator-friendly landscapes and ecosystems. Those recent discoveries of rare and bee species in Vancouver, they really provide clear evidence that local habitat restoration is creating the right conditions for native pollinators to thrive. You've been invited to the Pollinator Festival on June 20th. I'd like to also extend an invitation to you to come out on June 13th, excuse me, the weekend before, to watch a documentary, the little things that run the world documentary on the importance of pollinators and how we can support them. So that's another way to learn more, to get involved and continue the momentum that we are creating here. Thank you. - Haley, where is the 13th? - Oh, at the Water Center, Water Resources Education Center. Thank you. - Got it. Thank you so very much. Thank you. (audience applauds)

15:19 - Okay, let's talk about the great outdoors month with Josie and Nisha. Southwest Washington includes nationally significant landscapes, such as the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The city of Vancouver stewards more than 1,600 acres of parkland across 90 parks and 20 natural areas. The National Get Outdoors Day is on the second Saturday in June during great outdoors month. It encourages everyone, especially youth, to enjoy nature and the health benefits of being active outside. Local state and federal partners will offer free access and special invites to everyone, especially newcomers, to visit the public lands.

16:17 Outdoor recreation is a key economic driver in Vancouver and Southwest Washington, supporting local jobs and small businesses across tourism, hospitality, retail, and recreation services, strengthening the regional economy and long-term economic vitality. And in June 2026, during great outdoors month, community members are encouraged to enjoy local activities like hiking at Beacon Rock State Park, fishing in the Lewis River, paddling on Vancouver Lake Regional Park, and exploring city of Vancouver's 20-mile trail network. Now, therefore, I, Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Mayor of Vancouver, Washington, do hereby proclaim the month of June as great outdoors month in the city of Vancouver. Josie and Misha?

17:13 (people chattering) - Thank you. We are happy to be here on behalf of the Lower Columbia Nature Network, a coalition of partners ranging from local governments to community-born nonprofits, all working together to make getting outdoors accessible for everyone. We are incredibly fortunate to have a wealth of natural spaces here in Southwest Washington. Of course, there are the most famous and iconic spaces, national and state parks, refuges, and other public lands, that we're so proud to have close by,

18:13 yet equally breathtaking and important and perhaps most impactful to our day-to-day lives are the green spaces, large and small, spread throughout and stewarded by our community and local city, county, and port staff. Time and nature isn't just a recreational luxury. It's a necessity that builds community, supports physical and mental health, and should be a daily part of everyone's lives. So for the entire month of June and beyond, we invite you to support your neighbors to find accessible ways to get outside, unplug, and explore, whether that be an hour's drive or a few minutes journey from your front door. There are many spaces and events waiting to connect us, and communities are working hard to make nature accessible to all, whether the barrier is transportation, an entrance fee, finding a space that works for your body, or connecting with the group that makes you feel safe.

19:11 I promise there is such a group and a place, and if you can't find it, reach out and we will help. And lastly, please remember not only to care for the land when you visit, but also to care for each other. We all connect to nature in different ways and have so much to learn from each other as we work together to make our communities healthier. So thank you to the entire Vancouver City Council for your continued support of policies and green spaces that keep our communities active and connected, and for letting us address you today. - Thank you, Josie, great job. Again, hello, mayor, council staff, community. Hayley Heath, I work in the Vancouver Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department, and we're representing them today. I also manage our community garden program in addition to nature spaces and volunteers who support public space stewardship.

20:10 So during the Great Outdoors Month, we celebrate how parks, recreation, and cultural services, together with other public agencies and community-based organizations, bring Vancouver's values to life by connecting people with nature close to home. Through parks, trails, natural areas, outdoor recreation, and community events, we create opportunities for residents to enjoy the outdoors every day. Access to nature, we know, improves people's health. It strengthens communities, and it supports a more resilient city. By making the outdoors welcoming and accessible, we advance Vancouver's values of livability, equity, sustainability, and community connection. Thank you to the Lower Columbia Nature Network, to their partners, and to all of you for being stewards to our outdoor areas and making them accessible for all in our community. Go out and visit some parks, please. - Thank you.

21:10 (audience applauds) Our last proclamation this evening is Moms Demand Action for National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Allison Duncan, are you with us this evening? Thank you, Allison, let me read a little here. Whereas every day, nearly 130 people in the United States