SARATOGA SPRINGS — The local non-profit Sustainable Saratoga is hosting Pollinator Palooza, a native plant sale and pollinator education event, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 5.
“Many of us are concerned about native insect declines around the world and so last year, Sustainable Saratoga formed a committee focused on pollinator protection,” said Dianna Goodwin, Sustainable Saratoga board co-chair and chair of the Pollinator Committee, in a statement. “Growing native plants is a great way to help pollinators, but we found that it was difficult to find native plants locally.” This led to Pollinator Palooza, a native plant sale that will also provide educational materials about native plants, and pollinators.
Pollinators, like bees and butterflies, play an essential role in the reproduction of over 85% of the world’s flowering plants, including many of the foods we eat. Pollinators are on the decline around the world due to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and disease. Sustainable gardening practices help bees and butterflies thrive by protecting and expanding their habitats and food sources.
Local pollinator projects have an important role to play in reversing pollinator declines. One key way to protect pollinators is to grow native plants that provide food and habitat for insects throughout their life cycle. This is where the Pollinator Palooza comes in – the plant sale will also feature information about sustainable gardening, the importance of native species for protecting native pollinators, and general plant and pollinator educational resources.
For more information, go to: sustainablesaratoga.org/pollinator-palooza.
