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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />RESOLUTION <br />Adopt Best Management Practices for Roadsides and Utility Rights -of -Way that Benefit <br />Pollinators and Native Plants in Orange County, NC <br />WHEREAS, in a June 19, 2012 resolution, the BOCC committed "to the conservation of <br />roadside native wildflowers along the roadways of Orange County;" and <br />WHEREAS, the roadsides and utility rights -of -way of Orange County support numerous plant <br />species that occur in these open habitats; and <br />WHEREAS, locally rare plant species such as Indian paintbrush and yellow- fringed orchid have <br />only been documented on county roadside; and <br />WHEREAS, the vegetation in roadsides and utility rights -of -way are an important resource for <br />maintaining biodiversity in native pollinators such as wild bees; and <br />WHEREAS, many scientific studies, including a 2014 North Carolina State University study, <br />support the conclusion that wild pollinator biodiversity enhances agricultural productivity; and <br />WHEREAS, the roadsides of Orange County also create habitat for numerous animal species, <br />connect fragmented habitats, possess tremendous aesthetic value, and provide a sense of <br />place; and <br />WHEREAS, improper vegetation management, such as poorly timed or indiscriminate use of <br />herbicides may harm some rare plant species, reduces pollinator and wildlife habitat, and <br />detracts from the aesthetic value of our colorful and extraordinary roadsides; and <br />WHEREAS, the Federal Highway Administration in conjunction with the Xerces Society for <br />Invertebrate Conservation have published "Roadside Best Management Practices that Benefit <br />Pollinators "; and <br />NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />recommend that all roadside and rights -of -way be managed using best practices that benefit <br />native pollinators and native wildflowers, such as minimizing the use of herbicides, and do <br />hereby authorize the Commission for the Environment and County staff to work with the North <br />Carolina Botanical Gardens to encourage NC Department of Transportation, utility companies, <br />and property owners to plan, implement, and study roadside and rights -of -way management <br />practices that enhance habitat for native wildflowers and pollinators. <br />This the day of , 2018. <br />Mark Dorosin, Chair <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board <br />