Pollinators are one of the most important parts of a healthy ecosystem. While bees often take the role as the mascot of the pollinators (who remembers the Bee Movie?), a pollinator is anything that transports pollen between flowering plants. In Wisconsin, this primarily means bees, butterflies, and moths, but birds, bats and beetles can act as pollinators as well.
The transportation of pollen is vital in many ways. Importantly, it maintains our agricultural system. Plants can’t exist without pollination, and plants are what feed the world. Plants also feed animals, which also feed the world! The United Nations predicts the world population will reach 9.7 billion by 2030, and all those people need to eat, so a healthy system of pollination is crucial as populations rise.
Since pollinators allow plant life to flourish, they allow for a more healthy and balanced environment as well. The flowering plants on our earth clean our air, support animals, stabilize soil, and more. However, pollinators are at risk. Many pollinators' natural habitats are destroyed or degraded due to human intervention, reducing their ability to transport pollen.
One way to support pollinators is right in our own yards. No Mow May is an initiative taken around the country to create pollinator-friendly zones in residential areas, where there is generally less native plant life. By not mowing or using chemical products in the month of May, natural flowering plants will grow in our yards, helping pollinators thrive. Did you know some pollinators are still overwintering in your grass, garden beds, or leftover plants from last season in May? This is why it's important to limit your mowing even when the weather seems nice enough to do so.
It’s a perfect excuse to get out of an annoying chore for a whole month! But if leaving your entire yard to nature’s whims is not a great fit for you, we also encourage smaller steps. Leaving a patch unmowed or mowing your entire yard less frequently are also great options.
The city of Eau Claire has even changed their lawn ordinances to encourage residents to participate. More information on Now Mow May can be found here! There are also events happening throughout this and next month to celebrate Earth Day and support pollinators and native plant life.
One such event is right here at Beaver Creek Reserve: our Native Plant Sale. We’ve been hard at work in our greenhouse growing native plants, which our online store opens May 3. Beaver Creek Reserve members get 10% off their order! These plants sell out fast, so if you’re looking for new plants, or plants you know will come back every year, for your yard or garden, we recommend jumping on the sale when it opens.
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