Lake Metroparks emphasizes the crucial role of pollinators in food production and plant health, urging the public to support their habitats
By Mimi Vanderhaven
The next time you bite into an apple, slice a tomato, or sip the perfect cup of coffee, appreciate that it wouldn’t be possible without the efforts of a trusty pollinator.
In the U.S., pollination by bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and insects accounts for $40 billion in food and beverages produced each year, or about one in every three bites you eat.
Mimi caught up with Lake Metroparks Biologist Megan Hart to find out more about these mighty little miracle workers.
“Pollinators play a crucial role in our environment and agricultural life,” she says. “Not only do they ensure the viability of fruits and vegetables, but they are also responsible for native plants thriving. More than 80 percent of plants rely on pollinators to reproduce. Also, more and more people are making a hobby out of identifying butterflies, moths and hummingbirds.”
Sadly, Megan reports that across the board, pollinator populations are drastically declining due to loss of habitat, urbanization and increased use of insecticides.
“If more people planted pollinator-friendly plants, that would positively impact the world around them,” she says. “What you plant attracts different types of pollinators. For example, hummingbirds love bright colors like reds and pinks like cardinal or wild bergamot. And butterflies are attracted to milkweed and sunflowers. Bees flock to blue, purple, white and yellow flowers.”
When it comes to gardening, she cautions people against the use of chemical insecticides that poison these animals. There are recipes online for making your own safer, natural products.
Want to find out more? Go to Penitentiary Glen Reservation and visit the exhibits and pollinator garden. Megan also recommends the ODNR and Xerces Society websites as invaluable guides to dive deeper into the fascinating world of pollinators.
Lake Metroparks annually provides more than four million visitors recreational and education experiences including a nature center and more than 60 miles of trails and 39 parks. Penitentiary Glen Reservation is located at 8668 Kirtland Chardon Road in Kirtland. Visit LakeMetroparks.com for more information about all the summertime activities from birding, swimming and hiking, to golf, horseback riding, biking, archery, boating, camping, fishing and geocaching.