Take action for bees

In June 2014, the White House issued a presidential memorandum expressing concern regarding the startling loss of pollinators nationwide, writing “the problem is serious and poses a significant challenge that needs to be addressed to ensure the sustainability of our food production systems, avoid additional economic impacts on the agricultural sector, and protect the health of the environment.” This month, the Obama administration released its National Pollinator Health Strategy (a requirement of the memorandum) aiming to both increase the number of pollinator-friendly plants on federal land, and to conduct more research into the causes of pollinator declines. Unfortunately, this strategy took little concrete action to address pesticide use, one of the leading drivers of pollinator decline.

Most dramatically witnessed in the form of colony collapse disorder, in which entire hives are wiped out seemingly inexplicably, honey bee declines have been blamed on a host of issues: habitat loss, mite infestations, disease, poor genetic diversity, pesticide exposure and stress (due to the fact that hives are often transported thousands of miles to various agricultural fields through the year).

Unfortunately, in the past year, beekeepers lost 42 percent of their colonies, the second highest loss ever. Solutions must be found quickly as insect pollination is a vital component of national food security. We are dependent on pollinators for the production of 90 commercially grown crops in the U.S. as well as for 87 of the 115 leading food crops worldwide. Pollinators contribute nearly $24 billion to the U.S. economy annually. The consequences of bee declines are real and severe, yet we have barely begun to take the necessary steps to combat them.

Beekeepers, environmentalists and farmers alarmed by global declines in bee populations have urged the Obama administration to take direct action against pesticides that are particularly harmful to bees. Neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides that work by destroying the nervous system of insects, appear to be especially detrimental to pollinators. In 2013, the European Commission moved to ban three neonicotinoid insecticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam), citing concerns regarding their “high acute risks”. In truth, as early as December 2014, the European Food Safety Commission has found that not only are bee populations inherently at risk because of the use of neonicotinoids, but humans – our fellow Duke students – are at risk as well. According to a new report, neonicotinoid pesticides (in particular acetamiprid and imidacloprid) hinder the development of the human nervous system and pose a threat to neurological functions connected to learning and memory. Unfortunately, the EPA has yet to match the European Commission with similar legal action.

This is a legislative failure. However, farmers, beekeepers, gardeners, landscape managers, states, cities and college campuses can take important steps to protect pollinators. In campuses across the country, including Emory University and the Vermont Law School, students have pushed forward and passed measures to eliminate the use of certain pesticides on campus in an attempt to create safe havens for bees. Even at our own campus, Duke Student Government, as of last May, has unanimously issued its support against the usage of neonicotinoids on campus after legislation was passed within the senate. By banning the use of neonicotenoids in most of our green spaces on campus, we are able to protect not only our bees but also the greater environment, the health of our students and – ultimately - the future of our world.

Duke’s campus is expansive and stunning in its natural beauty. Impressive green quads, magnificent trees and blooming flowers fill the campus with the vibrancy of the natural world. The Sarah P. Duke Gardens attract visitors from near and far and is constantly filled with both the young and old seeking to revel in quiet spaces, exotic plants and forest trails. The Duke Forest offers a refuge for runners and walkers seeking peace from the bustle of modern life. Meanwhile, the Duke Campus Farm remains an innovative agricultural sanctuary not only teaching students about farming but also serving them directly by providing food for Duke’s dining halls.

John Muir famously said, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe”. While seeking the most efficient solutions to our problems, we often fail to fully anticipate the breadth of their impact. In attempting to eliminate insect pests through chemical means, we have begun negatively impacting some of the beneficial creatures that we so desperately depend on.

Duke has the opportunity to serve as a model not only for the nation but also for the world in banning the use of neonicotinoids and other pesticides particularly harmful to pollinators on the majority, and perhaps hopefully all, of the campus’s green spaces. Duke University prides itself in progressive policy-making and a robust commitment to sustainability and the environment. It is time to collaborate in moving towards systems of landscape, garden and farm management that mitigate harm to pollinators (and other beneficial plant and animal species as well).