North Hempstead Creates Habitats for Monarch Butterflies and Other Pollinators

LongIsland.com

Town also encouraged property owners to take a pollinator pledge to help with ecological efforts.

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Photo: Shutterstock.

New gardens in the Town of North Hempstead will help create habitats for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, not only creating a beautiful park for human residents but also an important resource for native pollinators like butterflies, bees, hover flies, and beetles.

 

New pollinator gardens were established at Martin “Bunky” Reid Park in New Cassel, Fuschillo Park in Carle Place, and Tully Park in New Hyde Park.

 

Supervisor Judi Bosworth said that supporting pollinators is an important priority for her.

 

“Though these creatures are small in stature, they are immensely vital to our environment,” said Bosworth. “The Town will continue to do all that it can to support pollinators and their habitats.”

 

The new gardens included butterfly weed, which is a host plant for monarch butterfly caterpillars and an important nectar source for a variety of other pollinators. Additional native flowers, shrubs, trees, and grasses were planted such as rough goldenrod, joe-pye weed, blazing star, tulip tree, ninebark, and viburnum. These produce nectar and pollen for pollinators as well as fruits and seeds for birds and other wildlife.

 

This summer the Town also released the Pollinator Pledge calling for property owners to commit to taking actions to help pollinators in their landscape. Anyone that owns property including residents, businesses, non-profits, schools, and places of worship can take the pledge.

 

It contains a variety of actions including planting native plants, reducing or eliminating the use of pesticides, managing invasive species, and participating in community science projects.

 

Click here for additional information on the Town of North Hempstead’s pollinator gardens and to take the Pollinator Pledge.