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BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) – This September marks the eighth year that the City of Boulder is honoring some very productive and persistent little residents responsible for the Autumn harvest as well as the general balance of the ecosystem as a whole.

These busy and buzzing residents are the bees of Boulder.

According to Boulder County’s Parks and Open Space, there are 562 species of bee that call Boulder County home, and the impact that they have on their human neighbors is so vast that officials are celebrating the hard work they put in by holding the 8th Annual Bee Boulder Festival at Central Park.

During this event, organizers aim to inspire a public response in the form of pollinator-supportive actions. The free event will offer attendees of all ages the chance to play games, construct crafts and indulge in outdoor-focused activities, but the goal of this event is to pique interest in adopting personal habits that help the environment and the pollinators that maintain its upkeep.

How you can support pollinators

One practice that can be rolled into your daily routine is building and maintaining a pollinator garden.

“Whether you have a few feet on your apartment balcony, a yard in need of landscaping or several acres, you can make a difference. Follow this easy step-by-step guide to build your own pollinator garden and help ensure the future is filled with pollinators,” Mara Koenig with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.

A White-tailed bumblebee, Bombus lucorum, (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

According to Gardening Know How, simply put, a successfully designed pollinator garden is one that attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other creatures that effectively transfer pollen across the flower population.

Flowers perfect for populating your pollinator garden

  • Columbine
  • Chokecherry
  • Blanket Flower
  • Black-eyed Susan
  • Coneflower
  • Aster
  • Passion flower
  • Borage
  • Thistle
  • Hyssop
  • Ironweed

These gardens are most effective when placed in sunny open spaces that are protected from the wind. If you have a perch for hummingbirds, this is another way to elevate your pollinator garden’s impact. Another important factor to take into account is the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Gardening Know How suggests you avoid using these altogether as they are more often than not, harmful to pollinators.

Winter may be coming but getting the practice of maintaining a pollinator garden under your belt is something you can get in the habit of now for when Spring 2023 rolls around.