Mid-Michigan College is planting seeds for future pollinators. On June 18th, the college planted seeds to start a native plant garden that will provide food for local wildlife.
Officials said pollinators, like bees and butterflies, have been experiencing major declines because of changes in gardening practices, pesticide use, and climate change.
They said the eastern Monarch butterfly population has decreased by 90% while the bee population has decreased by 50% over the past few decades.
Biology professor, Ryan Dziedzic, said native plants are important tools that can help local bees and butterflies.
“They are called host plants. They co-evolved with each other. They are very closely tied together. That’s why if you eliminate the plant, you eliminate the insect.”
Dziedzic said planting native species can help create a diverse ecosystem that will provide for pollinators for years to come. He said gardeners should look to include native plants.
“But at the very least you should start to try to integrate native plants into the existing landscape. Do your homework and try to find ones that will fit in to what you already have.”
Dziedzic said it will take a few years for the seeds planted at Mid-Michigan to become an established garden. He said over the next few years Mid-Michigan should start seeing local pollinators visiting the garden.