People for Pollinators – An Urban Garden Initiative for the Conservation of Pollinator Insects and Native, Sustainable Environments
Organization: Louisville Nature Center
Location:
Jefferson County Schools
Country: United States
Other Organizations Involved:
Louisville Metro (this is the Louisville, KY, community)
Background
Key pollinators, monarch butterflies and honeybees, are in decline across Eastern Northern America. This urban suburban effort allows students, educators and concerned citizens the opportunity to shift the paradigm from the farmer to the community. This change will empower the community.
Goals
Add companion pollinator plants to 27 existing school nutrition gardens. Increase habitat for monarch butterflies and honeybees. Create awareness of the value of sustaining the butterfly and honeybee populations. Create school onsite space for studying and monitoring monarch butterfly and honeybee activities.
Main activities
Recruit volunteers, staff and partners. Create steering committee. Enhance schools’ urban garden initiatives by planting companion pollinators in onsite school nutrition gardens. Develop system for measuring objectives. Pollinator garden maintenance. Create partnerships to provide public education, including citizen science programs.
Results
Create pollinator and life-cycle native plant insect gardens in all 27 JCPS schools with nutrition gardens. Increase habitat for monarch butterflies and honeybees. Create awareness for the importance of pollinators among students, teachers and the community. Create sites for science studies and monitoring of activities of the monarch population.