WAVERLY, Ohio — The Pike Soil and Water Conservation District and several partner organizations recently hosted an educational program at First Presbyterian Church, drawing pollinator enthusiasts to tour the church’s 4-acre wildflower and native grass habitat off U.S. Route 23.
The habitat, located at 211 Schmitt Drive, includes walking paths and marked trails through stands of native plants such as black-eyed Susans and bee balm, according to the conservation district. The event was held as part of the Pollinator Pathway program, a national effort to connect pesticide-free, native-plant corridors that provide food and shelter for bees, butterflies and other pollinating species.
Participants attended an educational program before touring the habitat, where conservation professionals spoke about pollinator biology, how to establish habitat on public and private land, and the environmental benefits pollinator-friendly landscaping provides, the district said in a Facebook post.
The district credited several partners for helping organize the event: OSU Extension Pike County, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pheasants and Quail Forever, and First Presbyterian Church, which maintains the habitat on its property.
The Pollinator Pathway movement began in 2017 in Wilton, Connecticut, when conservationists Donna Merrill and Louise Washer launched a community-based project to promote native plant corridors for pollinators. It has since grown to include more than 300 towns across 19 states, encouraging residents, businesses and municipalities to plant native species and forgo pesticides in order to link isolated patches of habitat into continuous corridors.
The Pike Soil and Water Conservation District, headquartered on state Route 104 in Waverly, works to help county landowners conserve and protect local soil and water resources. The district holds public board meetings monthly and runs a range of conservation education programs for county residents and students throughout the year.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Pike Soil and Water Conservation District.
