US: Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, NRPA launch ‘Parks for Pollinators’

To address the need to increase pollinator habitat for beneficial insects, such as honey bees, monarch butterflies and others, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) have teamed up on a new “Parks for Pollinators” campaign aimed at raising public awareness of pollinator health and encouraging local action through public parks and pollinator gardens.

“NRPA is proud to partner with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation on this important initiative,” said Lori Robertson, NRPA director of conservation. “Public parks play an increasing role in addressing pollinator decline, and this initiative will help strengthen the work our agencies do to educate the public about the important role pollinators play in our daily lives and inspire individuals to take action.”

Through Parks for Pollinators, agencies will engage members of the public in a variety of settings, including community events, public education programs, social media and online communications. NRPA and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation will also fund on-the-ground survey research that will aid in understanding the public’s perception of the pollinator crisis. Five park and recreation agencies have been selected to help conduct the research and include:

Chicago Park District — Chicago, Illinois
Houston Parks and Recreation Department — Houston, Texas
Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department — Miami, Florida
City of Providence, Department of Public Parks — Providence, Rhode Island
Seattle Parks and Recreation — Seattle, Washington

“Local park and recreation centers are an ideal place to engage, educate and help more people to get involved in the creation of pollinator habitat in their communities and in their own backyards through pollinator gardens,” said Jim King, president of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation. “Parks can also provide a much-needed corridor of protected land for habitat creation, especially in urban areas.”

Since 2015, Scotts Miracle-Gro has engaged in a multiyear Pollinator Promise effort to help home gardeners, community gardeners and urban planners understand the critical role pollinators play in our ecosystem and to provide them with the tools necessary to grow successful pollinator gardens.

The Parks for Pollinators campaign will kick off with an online photo contest that will take place during the month of June, which is also the month of National Pollinator Week, June 18–24. NRPA members and the public are encouraged to post a pollinator photo on social media using the hashtag #Parks4Polllinators to have the chance to win a pollinator garden prize pack with gardening products and tips for taking personal, at-home actions to support pollinator health.

According to a recent poll conducted by NRPA, nearly all Americans agree that promoting pollinator health should be a conservation priority across the United States. Promoting pollinator health includes protecting against the decline and death of pollinators, such as honey bees and other insects, and increasing their habitat.

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