NEW! Audubon Pollinator Alliance

Connecting Gardeners and Communities with Resources and Support

Making the choice to plant a pollinator garden - providing food and shelter for bees, butterflies, birds and other wildlife - is an important step that individuals, organizations or businesses can take toward improving our local ecosystems. But where to start?

“We know that many Rhode Islanders are concerned about the plights facing our native pollinators, and they really want to be part of the solution,” says Audubon Pollinator Outreach Coordinator Katie Schortmann. “We also know that people are looking for support to make these gardens successful.” A new initiative, the Audubon Pollinator Alliance, is here to help.

The Alliance connects like-minded individuals across the state and provides resources for those with information fatigue – a dedicated page on the Audubon website that provides materials and reputable links to learn more about native pollinators and the plants they rely on. The site also encourages people to register their gardens with the Alliance to form a state-wide network of pollinator protectors and healthy habitats. Audubon will use the collected data to make targeted decisions in advocacy, conservation, and education initiatives.

Nathan Archer, a TerraCorps member currently serving with Audubon as Land Conservation Coordinator, is creating the webpage content. “The biggest barrier for many people interested in pollinator gardens is knowledge of native plants,” explained Archer. “By making this information more approachable, we hope to see more people converting

their lawns to native landscapes.” And native landscapes are needed. Studies indicate that over 40 percent of pollinating insects are in jeopardy due to pesticide use, climate change, and a dearth of native plants.

Over the next year, Audubon will offer a variety of opportunities, both online and in-person, to learn about the Alliance, connect to experts, and consider the benefits of joining the program. Anyone can participate, says Schortmann, no matter how big or small the garden. When participants join, there is also an option to purchase a garden sign to help spread the word and identify spaces as healthy pollinator habitat.

Schortmann, a certified Master Gardener, says she understands the importance that proper support can play in a gardening project – she coordinates the Audubon Palmieri Pollinator Garden in Bristol. “I want people to be brave and dig in,” she said. “It’s so important to get native plants in the soil and support our local ecosystems.”

To learn more visit asri.org/pollinators/alliance.html – Register your garden today!