Pollinator Pathway Campaign Begins

On Thursday morning at the Library, the Weston Pollinator Pathway group kicks off a campaign called 50 for 50. It starts at 10:30.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the goal is to get at least 50 Weston residents to commit to planting native plants and flowers, eliminating harmful herbicides and pesticides, mowing less frequently or leaving the lawn a bit higher, and reducing lawn area.

A pathway gives pollinators—bees, birds, butterflies, beetles—unbroken connections to resources they need to survive, which in turn helps plants reproduce and provide us with food. Pollinator populations are in sharp decline because of pesticide use and loss of habitat.

The first 50 Westonians to join the effort will receive a free Butterfly Milkweed plant, a favorite of monarch butterflies which, according to the US Wildlife Federation, have declined in number by almost 95 percent in the last 20 years.

If you are one of those first 50, you will be able to pick up your Butterfly Milkweed at Lachat's opening day on June 7.

A $10 donation gets you a Pollinator Pathway sign for your fence or mailbox and an information packet explaining how to get started. You can sign up here.

Donated funds will be used to create and maintain pollinator garden beds around town, including gardens at Lachat, Weston Intermediate School, and Hurlbutt Elementary's butterfly garden.

The Pollinator Pathway is an all-volunteer program, active in over 85 towns in Connecticut and New York with a growing membership. Find out more at the Pollinator Pathway website.