Build Butterfly Gardens, Win Prizes: Wilton Conservation Commission

***News release submitted by the Wilton Conservation Committee**

The Wilton Conservation Commission and the Wilton Pollinator Pathway are excited to announce a new program to recognize businesses and non-profits, which have joined the effort to increase pollinator habitats. An annual award will be given to a business or non-profit that has created a pollinator garden or container planted primarily with native plants and maintained without use of pesticides.

Anyone can nominate a Wilton-based business or non-profit by sending an email to conservationevent@wiltonct.org. Please include organization’s name, location of site to be judged, representative photo(s) and contact name, email address and phone number. Businesses and non-profits can self-nominate. Nominations must be submitted by Friday, August 12, 2022. The eligibility requirements are:

• Must have beautified their property with one or more plantings of mostly native plants that
• support pollinators and create habitat for wildlife.
• Must not have used pesticides on the planting area(s) being entered.
• Sites of any size from a planting container to a large garden landscape are eligible.
• Eligible organizations include: businesses; community or not-for-profit organizations; schools; houses of worship; educational, historical, and cultural institutions.
• Private residential and/or municipal gardens/plantings are not eligible.

A ceremony will be held on Wednesday, August, 17, 2022 at 4 pm in the Chess Park in Wilton Center (across from Stop and Shop at 5 River Road) to announce the winner. Refreshments will be served and Second Selectman, Josh Cole will deliver a proclamation declaring August 17th as Native Plants for Pollinators Day.

Whether small or large, pollinator gardens are vital way-stations for native pollinators. Planting native plants, shrubs, and trees benefits birds and other wildlife, and beautifies the town. The town’s Environmental Affairs Department, the Conservation Commission, the Pollinator Pathway and the Wilton Garden Club have collaborated to plant native pollinators on town-owned property, most notably in Wilton Center, including the Chess Park and along the Norwalk River.

The Conservation Commission is comprised of volunteers appointed by the Board of Selectmen. Spreading awareness about the benefits of using native plants is a priority for the Conservation Commission. To learn more about the Commission, please visit Conservation Commission | Wilton CT.

The Pollinator Pathway is a grassroots effort to establish a pollinator habitat along a series of corridors throughout the Northeast. To learn more about the Pollinator Pathway and native plants, please visit Pollinator Pathway (pollinator-pathway.org).

For more information, contact Wilton Conservation Commission Chair Jackie Algon at jackie.algon@wiltonct.org.