By Holly Hale
Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District
Pollination occurs through various agents, including wind, water, insects, birds and other animals. This vital process involves the transfer of pollen from one plant to another. Any organism that facilitates this transfer is classified as a pollinator.
Without pollination, the reproduction of our plants and foods would decline. Ashland Soil and Water is taking steps to help pollinators.
Ashland Soil and Water will be implementing a pollinator garden at our outdoor learning laboratory at the Hazel Willis Woods.The pollinator garden will feature a variety of different native Ohio pollinator wild flowers as well as native grasses.
This initiative aims to create a haven for native pollinators, offering them a rich and diverse habitat to flourish. We hope to see an increase in pollinators such as bees, butterflies, birds, moths as well as other pollinators with the implementation of this new space at the woods.
In addition to the garden, a pollinator viewing area will be implemented for community members to sit and observe the different pollinators and wildflowers.
The pollinator viewing area will also contain an identification chart for native flowers for those that would like to find some while visiting the woods.
Our goal is to highlight the crucial role that pollinators play in our ecosystems as well as the simple steps that individuals can take to support pollinators in our area. The easiest way to support these pollinators is to create more areas like these.
Planting native flowering plants in gardens and community spaces is a great way to promote pollinators. If you do not have a green thumb, installing a bee nesting box can also offer home for buzzing pollinators.
Honey bees also play a vital role as crop pollinators in addition to producing honey.
The Hazel Willis Woods offers a wildflower inventory that contains every wildflower that has been recorded within the woods. The inventory can be found on the Hazel Willis Woods website at www.ashlandswcd.com/how.
Ashland Soil and Water would like to invite the community to the July 8 Conservation Chat where they can learn more about pollinators and how to create a safe habitat for these pollinators and birds. The details of the chat can be found on our website under upcoming events at ashlandswcd.com/events.
(Holly Hale joined the Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District team as natural resource specialist in July 2024. She also assists with education programs. She can be reached at 419-281-7645 or hollyswcd@gmail.com.)
