Join the Pollinator Highway!
Pollinator Gardens
Rotary District 5060 is challenging all Clubs to create a Pollinator Garden that joins the Pollinator Highway supporting the migration of important insects and birds. As a friend and advocate of native bees, butterflies, birds and insects, take the pledge to talk to your club members about creating a pollinator garden to help grow a D5060 Pollinator Highway, linking our clubs together through welcoming habitats and Rotary’s newest area of focus – “protecting the environment.”
Did you know 1 of every 3 bites of food is because of pollinators?
A Pollinator Garden contains plants that attract and feed pollinator species.
- Bees, butterflies, moths, ants, beetles, wasps, flies, birds and bats pollinate up to 95% of all flowering plants on earth.
- 180,000 different plant species and more than 1200 crops rely on pollinators
- Pollinators add 217 billion dollars to the global economy.
- Honeybees provide up to $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity in the U.S.
How your Club can start a Pollinator Garden
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Step 1: Sign the pledge
- Build support among club members to establish pollinator gardens in my community
- Be a friend of pollinators in my own backyard by reducing or eliminating pesticides and planting native species
- Stay involved with the District 5060 Environmental Service Committee to do my part to build a regional Pollinator Highway in the US & Canada
- Sign now!
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Step 2: Locate and consult with experts
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Step 3: Design and prep – sun, soil, plant type, costs
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Step 4: Set a date for your volunteers to plant
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Step 5: Report and enjoy! Add your garden to the map
See other gardens around the world here.
Why support pollinators?
- Monarch butterflies declined by 90% in the last 20 years.
- 28% of bumble bee species are in serious decline.
- 99% of bees native to the U.S. and Canada are in decline 51 species of butterflies, 111 species of moths, and 3 species of bumblebees are at major risk
- Colony Collapse Disorder decimated honeybee hives in North America.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GET STARTED
CLUB RESOURCES
- Activity tracker – add your project global highway
- Challenge overview
- Environmental Challenge talking points
- OP pledge
- OP action list for points
- Suggestions
- OP points calendar example
- Score sheet for tracking points
- Examples of area pollinator events
- OP presentation
- OP score sheet for tracking points
OTHER RESOURCES
- OP resource booklet (small)
- Resource flyer
- Things you can do for pollinators
- Bee identification guide
- Build a bee condo
- Recipe card for pollinator garden
- Swamp milkweed 101
- How to grow milkweed from seed
- Plant selection
- Protecting monarchs
- Pollinator-friendly cookbook with cocktails
- Pollinator puzzle
- ESRAG toolkit
- Pollinator BOOK list
Our Highway in Action
Cashmere
Complete: May 2024
8′ X 32′, located at the Cashmere Museum. Plants can be viewed from the museum grounds and the sidewalk along the road.
Cashmere Rotary partnered with the Cashmere Museum to plant a garden with Native American significance and pollinators to attract bees and butterflies. Medicinal plants displayed in the museum were cross-referenced to pollinators including three Native American plants – yarrow, coyote mint and kinnikinnick – along with pollinators like golden-aster, butterfly weed, blanket flower, blue flax, and salvia. Focus was given to perennials that attract multiple species, low water and maintenance needs, and local availability (Derby Canyon Natives and the Cashmere High School FFA plant sale).
Cashmere Rotary Club volunteers, Cashmere Museum Staff and Board, and Curb Appeal Landscape Supply (donated extra soil).
Lake Country & Now! Kelowna
Rotary Brings Pollinator Garden to Life at Habitat for Humanity Okanagan
Thanks to the combined efforts of Rotary Now! Kelowna and the Rotary Club of Lake Country, a beautiful new pollinator garden, now thrives at Habitat for Humanity Okanagan’s 12-plex on Powley Court in Lake Country, BC. Covering an impressive 690 square meters (7,400 square feet), the garden features over 130 low-maintenance flowering trees, shrubs, and plants representing 14 different species.
This project was made possible with a generous matching grant from Rotary District 5060, contributing to a total of $26,760.35 donated to Habitat for Humanity Okanagan. The funds supported essential engineering work, including retaining walls, irrigation, plants, and mulch.
This pollinator garden beautifies the area and supports local biodiversity, creating a sustainable and welcoming environment for bees, butterflies, and other essential pollinators. A big thank you to everyone who made this initiative a success!
Osoyoos
Osoyoos Rotary Club’s Pollinator Garden: A Blooming Success
In June 2023, the Osoyoos Rotary Club planted a vibrant Pollinator Garden at the Osoyoos Museum’s Heritage Garden. This unique, triangular-shaped garden was made possible through the sponsorship of the Rotary Club, led by President Susan Cran.
The Pollinator Garden features a striking pink dogwood tree and ten bee-friendly flowering shrubs, designed to attract and support local pollinators. To keep everything lush, an underground irrigation system ensures the garden stays healthy throughout the seasons. Decorative rocks and two colours of landscaping stones add to their visual appeal, creating a welcoming space for visitors and pollinators alike.
The museum curator is currently gathering photos from this summer that capture bees buzzing happily around the flowers, showcasing the garden’s success in supporting pollinator life. Stay tuned for these snapshots of nature in action!
Yakima Southwest
Yakima Southwest Rotary Brings New Life to Sarg Hubbard Park with Pollinator Garden
On April 20th, members of the Yakima Southwest Rotary joined forces to transform a neglected patch of land at Sarg Hubbard Park into a vibrant pollinator garden. The 100-square-foot area had fallen into disarray, overtaken by weeds and grass after a previous planting effort went untended.
With the goal of creating a haven for bees and butterflies, the club’s Preserve the Planet committee spearheaded the project. Volunteers weeded and cleaned the area before planting a beautiful variety of pollinator-friendly flowers and plants. MacMahon Nursery played a key role in the project, providing expert guidance on garden design, ideal plant spacing, and ensuring a mix of blooms throughout the season. The nursery also generously offered a discounted price on all plants and bark.
Thanks to the hard work of committee members and other Rotarians, the entire transformation was completed in a single day. The new pollinator garden not only beautifies Sarg Hubbard Park but also supports the local ecosystem, inviting bees and butterflies to thrive. Check out the photos of our dedicated members in action!
Yakima Rotaract
On September 28, 2024, Yakima Rotaract completed a new Pollinator Garden Project in partnership with the City of Yakima Parks Department and Heritage Gardens. This 16’ x 16’ space is filled with a rich variety of native plants, including Snow Buckwheat, Showy Daisy, Venus Penstemon, Orange Globemallow, and Bottlebrush Squirreltail, among many others. The garden is designed to attract and support pollinators, enhancing local biodiversity and promoting sustainable gardening practices in the community.