Pollinator News
News: Milkweed being used to absorb oil spills!
Kara Davidson
Here's an interesting article we found about a Canadian company that is using milkweed (the host plant of monarchs) to absorb oil in oil spills. There's an audio clip, as well.
News: Pollinator Garden Challenge
Kara Davidson
This summer President Obama announced a call to action to reverse the decline of pollinating species. In response, the National Pollinator Garden Network was formed. The NPGN is a collaboration of many organizations and agencies from local gardening clubs to the National Wildlife Federation, Monarch Watch and the National Park Service.
From their website:
“The focus of the NPGN is: to inspire individuals and community groups, institutions and the garden industry to create more pollinator habitat through sustainable gardening practices, habitat conservation and provide these groups the tools to be successful.”
The collaboration comes at a critical time for our planet. Pollinators all over the world are facing numerous critical threats. Pollinators are vital to our survival- we need them to make crops grow!
How you can help (from NPNG):
” Pollinators Gardens Should:
use plants that provide nectar and pollen sources
provide a water source
be situated in sunny areas with wind breaks
create large “pollinator targets” of native or non-invasive plants
establish continuous bloom throughout the growing season
eliminate or minimize the impact of pesticides.”
You can register your garden here.
While are main pollinator focus is Butterflies, Butterflies of Cape Cod is interested in the welfare of ALL pollinators. So we encourage you to do what you can to help.
Please feel free to leave a comment telling us how you plan to help pollinators in your garden. We will keep you updated on our activities here at the blog, and on our Facebook page.