2016 Search for Excellence Awards 2nd Place Winner ...€¦ · • development of educational...
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The habitat was designed to meet the needs of pollinators for (1) food, (2) water, (3) shelter and (4) places to raise their young. Plants were selected for high quality nectar, pollen and season-long bloom. Clustered plants, shrubs and trees provide shelter. Diverse nesting sites and water sources are scattered throughout the garden. 3 2016 Search for Excellence Awards — Demonstration Garden — 2nd Place Winner CREATING A POLLINATOR GARDEN @The Dawes Arboretum Nestled in the rolling hills of Licking County, Ohio, is an environmental treasure —The Dawes Arboretum. Within this historic landmark site, a small group of Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers planned and developed a native plant garden to serve the declining population of pollinators and to provide opportunities for the 250,000 youth and adults who visit The Arboretum annually to learn about the needs of pollinators and gardening with native plants. Luke Messinger, Executive Director the Dawes Arboretum states, “The Pollinator Garden provides educational opportunities for visitors to The Arboretum each year. We are truly thankful to the Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers for their vision, leadership and hard work in creating and caring for this valuable garden.” OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION THE PROJECT Dismayed by the alarming decline in monarch and bee populations and the loss of pollinator habitat, the Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers (MGVs) decided to explore the creation of a model pollinator garden for the public. The purpose of the garden would be to raise community awareness of this environmental concern, to inspire home gardeners to become part of the solution and to spark interest in children to learn more about bees, butterflies and their habitat needs. THE METHOD ESTABLISH A PARTNERSHIP The group approached the administrators at The Dawes Arboretum about their shared vision. The administrators enthusiastically supported their proposal and together they set expectations for the new garden. The Arboretum agreed to • give the volunteers the freedom to plan, execute and manage the new garden • provide a garden space, funds for plants, compost and garden tools • provide staff support as requested by MGVs • assist by publishing educational materials and preparing garden signs The MGVs agreed to • conduct research on best practices to meet the needs of pollinators • plan, develop and tend the new pollinator habitat • develop educational programs, materials and activities for the public The Master Gardener Volunteers and bees peacefully coexist as each goes about their own work but keep a respectful distance from one another. The MGVs often take ‘bee breaks’ to watch the lively action of the bees as they travel back and forth to one of the two beehives in the garden. LICKING COUNTY MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEERS The Arboretum staff and MGVs use the garden to teach children about bees and butterflies, their life cycles and their importance to our environment and food sources. GATHER RESEARCH The volunteers agreed the first step was to teach themselves about pollinators and their habitat needs. Research included • reading of authoritative books by authors such as Douglas Tallamy, Heather Holm and The Xerces Society, along with many other books and articles about pollinator conservation and native plants • attendance at conferences and seminars • web searches for pollinator and native plant information and monarch conservation SET GOALS 1. Create a model pollinator garden featuring native plants. 2. Provide educational opportunities for adults and children to learn about the importance of pollinators and ways to include native plants in the landscape. THE RESULTS THE MODEL POLLINATOR GARDEN The garden site, a 300 square foot space, is located in a highly visible area, adjacent to The Arboretum’s Visitor Center. The garden provides the food, water, shelter and places needed for pollinators to raise their young and is now a Xerces Society certified Pollinator Habitat and also meets the requirements to be a monarch waystation. Research guided decisions about habitat design, plant selection and plant maintenance. More than 35 native species were chosen for the habitat based on • bloom colors that are highly attractive to a variety of pollinators and beneficial insects • the shape of plant blossoms and bloom time succession • host plants that support egg-laying and larval growth Records of plant growth and performance are kept to aide in decisions about plant health and the need to divide, replace or add new plants to the garden. Paths and a garden bench were added draw visitors into the garden to enjoy the pollinators at work. EDUCATIONAL IMPACT Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers work in the garden weekly and informally share information with the frequent visitors who stop by the garden to ask questions about the bees, butterflies and native plants. Educational activities conducted by Master Gardener Volunteers include • formal presentation to numerous organizations and children’s groups • garden tours for the public • development of educational materials and garden signage • sharing of pollinator-related literature and information at public events The garden serves as a laboratory for educating the next generation of Licking County MGVs. The new MGV interns attend a presentation about gardening with nature as a part of their training. Many interns choose to volunteer in the garden where they learn about gardening with native plants and habitat design alongside the experienced MGVs who also continue to learn. EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE ARBORETUM STAFF Sarah Mill, Education Director at The Arboretum, states “This garden is a valuable addition to our educational programming. It serves as a natural classroom to share and teach our guests about the importance of pollinator habitats. Educators and other staff can regularly be found in the garden, guiding participants in activities, searching for bees and caterpillars and releasing butterflies.” THE FUTURE Due to the successful collaboration between the Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers and The Dawes Arboretum, plans are underway to expand the Pollinator Garden and its educational programming. New plantings, more signage and educational materials will be added over time to enhance the beauty and effectiveness of this model pollinator garden. GARDENING FOR POLLINATORS - HELPFUL RESOURCES Disabato-Aust, Tracy. (2006). Second edition. The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Techniques. Timber Press. Portland, OR. D.W. Tallamy. (2009). Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Timber Press. Portland, OR. H.Holm.(2014). Pollinators of Native Plants: Attract, Observe, and Identify Pollinators and Beneficial Insects with Native Plants. Pollination Press LLC, Minnetonka, MN. The Xerces Society Guide. (2011). Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies. Story Publishing LLC, North Adams, MA. The Xerces Society http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/gardens/ Pollinator Partnership http://www.pollinator.org/ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center https://www.wildflower.org/ Missouri Botanical Garden http:www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/ OSU Bee Lab http://u.osu.edu/beelab/gardening-for-bees/Gardening for Pollinators Attracting Pollinators to the Garden factsheet. The Ohio State University Gardening for Pollinators with Denise Ellsworth. Webinar recording. OSU Department of Entomology. Sponsored by extension, the National Extension System. June 7, 2013. 60 MINUTES 10 FAVORITE NATIVE PLANTS IN THE GARDEN Anise Hyssop ‘Blue Fortune’ | Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosav False Blue Indigo | Baptisia australis Golden Alexanders | Zizia aurea Pale Purple Coneflower | Echinacea pallida Parthenium integrifolium | Wild Quinine Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium Short-toothed Mountain Mint | Pycnanthemum muticum Swamp Milkweed | Asclepias incarnata Tennessee Coneflower | Echinacea tennesseensis KEY WORD SEARCHES: Pollinators, native plants, butterflies, gardening for wildlife, native plant nurseries 1 2 4 The new Pollinator Habitat features native plants such as some shown here – Joe Pye Weed, Golden Alexanders, Wild Quinine, American Mountain Mint. Master Gardener Volunteers partnered with The Dawes Arboretum staff in a monarch raising program. The MGVs helped collect and care for the caterpillars, monitored the transition from caterpillar to butterfly, tagged and released the butterflies. Visitors, Estela Romero and her daughter, Laura Emilia, from Mexico were delighted to the discover the caterpillar phase of the monarch butterfly in the Pollinator Garden. In Mexico, it’s the end of the monarch’s flight, so they had only experienced the adult phase of the monarch butterfly. MGVs Linda Bishop and Mary Beth Mathews share the monarch tagging process with a child. They enjoy the look of wonder on each child’s face as the tagged monarch takes flight for Mexico. MONARCH CONSERVATION AT THE ARBORETUM The Dawes Arboretum 7770 Jacksontown Road Newark, OH 43056 www.dawesarb.org
Transcript of 2016 Search for Excellence Awards 2nd Place Winner ...€¦ · • development of educational...
The habitat was designed to meet the needs of pollinators for (1) food, (2) water, (3) shelter and (4) places to raise their young. Plants were selected for high quality nectar, pollen and season-long bloom. Clustered plants, shrubs and trees provide shelter. Diverse nesting sites and water sources are scattered throughout the garden.
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2016 Search for Excellence Awards—Demonstrat ion Garden—2nd Place Winner
CREATING A POLLINATOR GARDEN @The Dawes Arboretum
Nestled in the rolling hills of Licking County, Ohio, is an environmental treasure —The Dawes Arboretum. Within this historic landmark site, a small group of Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers planned and developed a native plant garden to serve the declining population of pollinators and to provide opportunities for the 250,000 youth and adults who visit The Arboretum annually to learn about the needs of pollinators and gardening with native plants.
Luke Messinger, Executive Director the
Dawes Arboretum states, “The Pollinator Garden provides educational opportunities for visitors to The Arboretum each year. We are truly thankful to the Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers for their vision, leadership and hard work in creating and caring for this valuable garden.”
O H I O S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y E X T E N S I O N
THE PROJECTDismayed by the alarming decline in monarch and bee populations and the loss of pollinator
habitat, the Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers (MGVs) decided to explore the
creation of a model pollinator garden for the public. The purpose of the garden would be
to raise community awareness of this environmental concern, to inspire home gardeners
to become part of the solution and to spark interest in children to learn more about bees,
butterflies and their habitat needs.
THE METHODESTABLISH A PARTNERSHIP
The group approached the administrators at The Dawes Arboretum about their shared
vision. The administrators enthusiastically supported their proposal and together they
set expectations for the new garden.
The Arboretum agreed to
• give the volunteers the freedom to plan, execute and manage the new garden
• provide a garden space, funds for plants, compost and garden tools
• provide staff support as requested by MGVs
• assist by publishing educational materials and preparing garden signs
The MGVs agreed to
• conduct research on best practices to meet the needs of pollinators
• plan, develop and tend the new pollinator habitat
• develop educational programs, materials and activities for the public
The Master Gardener Volunteers and bees peacefully coexist as each goes about their own work but keep a respectful distance from one another. The MGVs often take ‘bee breaks’ to watch the lively action of the bees as they travel back and forth to one of the two beehives in the garden.
L I C K I N G C O U N T Y M A S T E R G A R D E N E R V O LU N T E E R S
The Arboretum staff and MGVs use the garden to teach children about bees and butterflies, their life cycles and their importance to our environment and food sources.
GATHER RESEARCH
The volunteers agreed the first step was to teach themselves about pollinators and their habitat needs.
Research included
• reading of authoritative books by authors such as Douglas Tallamy, Heather Holm and The Xerces Society, along with many other books and articles about pollinator conservation and native plants
• attendance at conferences and seminars
• web searches for pollinator and native plant information and monarch conservation
SET GOALS
1. Create a model pollinator garden featuring native plants.
2. Provide educational opportunities for adults and children to learn about
the importance of pollinators and ways to include native plants in the
landscape.
THE RESULTSTHE MODEL POLLINATOR GARDEN
The garden site, a 300 square foot space, is located in a highly visible area, adjacent to The Arboretum’s Visitor Center. The garden provides the food, water, shelter and places needed for pollinators to raise their young and is now a Xerces Society certified Pollinator Habitat and also meets the requirements to be a monarch waystation.
Research guided decisions about habitat design, plant selection and plant maintenance. More than 35 native species were chosen for the habitat based on
• bloom colors that are highly attractive to a variety of pollinators and beneficial insects
• the shape of plant blossoms and bloom time succession
• host plants that support egg-laying and larval growth
Records of plant growth and performance are kept to aide in decisions about plant health and the need to divide, replace or add new plants to the garden. Paths and a garden bench were added draw visitors into the garden to enjoy the pollinators at work.
EDUCATIONAL IMPACTLicking County Master Gardener Volunteers work in the garden weekly and informally share information with the frequent visitors who stop by the garden to ask questions about the bees, butterflies and native plants.
Educational activities conducted by Master Gardener Volunteers include
• formal presentation to numerous organizations and children’s groups
• garden tours for the public
• development of educational materials and garden signage
• sharing of pollinator-related literature and information at public events
The garden serves as a laboratory for educating the next generation of Licking County MGVs. The new MGV interns attend a presentation about gardening with nature as a part of their training. Many interns choose to volunteer in the garden where they learn about gardening with native plants and habitat design alongside the experienced MGVs who also continue to learn.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE
ARBORETUM STAFF
Sarah Mill, Education Director at The Arboretum, states “This garden is a valuable addition to our educational programming. It serves as a natural classroom to share and teach our guests about the importance of pollinator habitats. Educators and other staff can regularly be found in the garden, guiding participants in activities, searching for bees and caterpillars and releasing butterflies.”
THE FUTUREDue to the successful collaboration between the Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers and The Dawes Arboretum, plans are underway to expand the Pollinator Garden and its educational programming. New plantings, more signage and educational materials will be added over time to enhance the beauty and effectiveness of this model pollinator garden.
GARDENING FOR POLLINATORS - HELPFUL RESOURCES
Disabato-Aust, Tracy. (2006). Second edition. The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Techniques. Timber Press. Portland, OR.
D.W. Tallamy. (2009). Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Timber Press. Portland, OR.
H.Holm.(2014). Pollinators of Native Plants: Attract, Observe, and Identify Pollinators and Beneficial Insects with Native Plants. Pollination Press LLC, Minnetonka, MN.
The Xerces Society Guide. (2011). Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies. Story Publishing LLC, North Adams, MA.
The Xerces Society http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/gardens/
Pollinator Partnership http://www.pollinator.org/
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center https://www.wildflower.org/
Missouri Botanical Garden http:www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/
OSU Bee Lab http://u.osu.edu/beelab/gardening-for-bees/Gardening for Pollinators
Attracting Pollinators to the Garden factsheet. The Ohio State University
Gardening for Pollinators with Denise Ellsworth. Webinar recording. OSU Department of Entomology. Sponsored by extension, the National Extension System. June 7, 2013. 60 MINUTES
10 FAVORITE NATIVE PLANTS IN THE GARDEN
Anise Hyssop ‘Blue Fortune’ | Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’
Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosav
False Blue Indigo | Baptisia australis
Golden Alexanders | Zizia aurea
Pale Purple Coneflower | Echinacea pallida
Parthenium integrifolium | Wild Quinine
Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium
Short-toothed Mountain Mint | Pycnanthemum muticum
Swamp Milkweed | Asclepias incarnata
Tennessee Coneflower | Echinacea tennesseensis
KEY WORD SEARCHES:Pollinators, native plants, butterflies, gardening for wildlife, native plant nurseries
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The new Pollinator Habitat features native plants such as some shown here – Joe Pye Weed, Golden Alexanders, Wild Quinine, American Mountain Mint.
Master Gardener Volunteers partnered with The Dawes Arboretum staff in a monarch raising program.
The MGVs helped collect and care for the caterpillars, monitored the transition from caterpillar to butterfly, tagged and released the butterflies.
Visitors, Estela Romero and her daughter, Laura Emilia, from Mexico were delighted to the discover the caterpillar phase of the monarch butterfly in the Pollinator Garden.
In Mexico, it’s the end of themonarch’s flight, so theyhad only experienced theadult phase of the monarchbutterfly.
MGVs Linda Bishop and Mary Beth Mathews share the monarch tagging process with a child.
They enjoy the look of wonder on each child’s face as the tagged monarch takes flight for Mexico.
MONARCH CONSERVATION AT THE ARBORETUM
The Dawes Arboretum 7770 Jacksontown Road
Newark, OH 43056 www.dawesarb.org
