UPDATE! FLC’s Pollinator Patch Project with Strata-G Volunteers (4/29/2022)
Last Friday was nice and cool with partly cloudy skies! That gave FLC staff and Strata-G volunteers the wind in our sails to work out in the pollinator patches and other native landscaping beds at the Harris Farm (FLC’s office headquarters in Rockford, TN).
There was plenty of mulching and weeding to be done. And, the great news is that the volunteers once again helped staff start up a few small pollinator meadows adjacent to the ones prepared by the group back in late September 2021. Everyone got to experience working in a variety of pollinator patches, all in various stages of development.
This event was also a good opportunity for Strata-G volunteers to learn from our biologists about other land stewardship practices on the farm as well as highlighting additional aspects of FLC’s conservation programs and projects. Thank you Strata-G!
To read about Strata-G’s initial trip out to the Harris Farm, click here!
Click here for a list of bird and butterfly species observed by FLC’s biologists at the Harris Farm.
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- FLC staff and volunteers make introductions and prepare for the morning’s activities! (Photo courtesy: Grace Kihm)
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- Strata-G Volunteers! (Photo courtesy: Grace Kihm)
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- (Far left) FLC Biologist, Shelby Lyn Sanders, provides an overview at the more established pollinator patch – highlighting the various weeds that required pulling and helping the group identify some of the native plants.
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- The group begins the task of pulling weeds out of the native beds.
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- (Left) FLC Director of GIS, Matt Moore, and volunteer Clarence Hill, work on mixing native seed to sow in the new pollinator patch. (Photo courtesy: Grace Kihm)
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- A mix of native seeds are scattered among the new pollinator patches.
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- Straw is placed over the seeds to protect them from being displaced. Note the fresh mulch in the background! Volunteers also worked on distributing mulch around the native tree beds and blueberry shrubs.