Agricultural News
Sign up Now for the 100 Schools for Pollinators Challenge
Wed, 22 Sep 2021 11:50:42 CDT
Okies for Monarchs is challenging Oklahoma public schools and other public youth activity centers to make some space for monarchs! We are looking for 100 public youth entities that want to join our efforts to collectively plant 25,000 square feet of pollinator habitat.
Be one of 100 schools to receive a free wildflower garden packet from Okies for Monarchs! Deadline to apply is Oct. 1.
The first 100 schools to complete the application process by October 1, 2021 will receive by mail, a free seed packet with 250 square feet worth of Okies for Monarchs Wildflower Seed Mix, specially curated by Johnston Seed Company, as well as tips for successful planting, pollinator educational resources, and a Monarch Habitat sign*.
Now more than ever, bringing nature into our lives and the classroom is as important for us as it is for the wildlife we aim to support. Okies for Monarchs works in partnership with communities to expand the amount of pollinator habitat throughout our great state. Did you know that Oklahoma is centrally located in the path of the monarch migration that extends between Mexico and Canada? Each spring and fall, multiple generations of monarchs follow this time-honored path, stopping along the way for nourishment and for egg-laying. While nectar bearing flowers are generally a slightly easier target, monarchs must have milkweed to raise their young.
Multiple factors are involved with the decline of this crucial food source, including increased use of herbicides, rapidly shifting weather norms due to climate change and the loss of wild spaces. While many of these factors are out of our hands, one solution is right under our feet! Create more habitat that provides food and shelter for pollinators.
Get your school to participate in this rewarding and free challenge! When children begin to make connections between the timing of the migration and the progress of the milkweed in this mix, they begin to see bigger relationships happening between plants and wildlife and how one part of nature is communicating with another. This is a powerful realization that will undoubtably make them better stewards of the environment as they mature. There are also many curriculum opportunities through the seasons in a pollinator garden, particular involving science, math, and art.
Is your school ready to help plant the path for pollinators? Submit your application here.
Does your school already have a pollinator garden? Register it at okiesformonarchs.org andstephanie.jordan@tnc.orgto get a free Monarch Habitat
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...