Free Pollinator Habitat Seeds At Greenfield Public Library

GREENFIELD, WI — Libraries across Milwaukee County, including the Greenfield Public Library, will receive seed packets of pollinator-friendly plants to be handed out for free, according to a press release.

The donation, packages of two different types of seeds, are leftovers from an American Transmission Company project. The seeds were originally meant to promote safer planting around power lines, but they happen to also be great for native pollinators, like bees and butterflies. One packet contains smooth blue aster seeds and the other contains butterfly weed seeds.

Creating pollinator-friendly spaces has taken a front seat recently in Greenfield. The Greenfield Pollinator Protection Committee, established in January 2020, has worked to revise ordinances and establish programs that promote pollinators.

The Committee revised Greenfield property ordinances to allow for managed natural landscaping —prairie land great for pollinators —instead of requiring a manicured lawn. Further, the committee has been working to establish a pollinator habitat near Kulwicki Park, according to committee member Renee Rollman.

Pollinators such as bees, birds and butterflies are an essential member of the ecosystem. 1 in every 3 bites of food taken in America exists because of pollinators, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The native prairie plants from these free seed packets can help add color to yards while also providing food for bees, birds and butterflies. Other pollinator plants provide prairie grass habitats for animals, according to Melinda Myers, a gardening expert with the ATC project.