Creating local pollinator pathways
We joined the nationwide Pollinator Pathway movement in early 2020 and are committed to creating pesticide-free plant corridors that attract native pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
The Spring Street River Garden is the club's official entry to Pollinator Pathway, but other gardens maintained by club members in Stafford also provide welcoming pollinator habitats. Right now, the beautiful display of milkweed in the upper garden in Haymarket Common may attract monarch butterflies and is a nectar source for many bees.
Pollinator Pathways can be on public and private property and exist across Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ontario, and Oregon.
The main guidelines for registering as a pollinator pathway are:
Include native plants on your property and manage invasive species.
Avoid pesticide and herbicide use.
Consider joining! Rethink your lawn. Mow higher and less often, reduce lawn size by adding shrubs, trees, or a mini meadow; leave some bare ground and dead wood for nesting native bees, and leave some fall leaves for overwintering eggs and pupae of pollinating insects. Even the smallest green spaces like window boxes and curb strips join the pathway.
Here are some great resources on types of plants you may consider in your own gardens: www.pollinator-pathway.org/native-pollinator-plants
If you already have a pollinator pathway yourself, you can help spread the word by ordering a 6-inch or 12-inch sign showing your yard is on the Pollinator Pathway: www.pollinator-pathway.org/sign
Learn more about Pollinator Week: www.pollinator.org/pollinator-week