Doing our part for the pollinators

Plum Island is well ... an island with a thin layer of soil that supports various types of wildlife. Each time I walk the island I see the seasons of life forming, blossoming and offering up life to others before fading away. The landscape changes from year to year as the pollinators do their part at spreading the bounty for others to enjoy.

We do our part on the island to limit the introduction of invasive plant species entering our environment by using the boot brushes and taking other measures to limit their intrusion. While to one person a weed is a plant in the wrong place, to us invasive species compete with the native plants. Unfortunately, in many areas on Plum Island, they're winning.

I see the same scenario in my gardens at home and have been working on densely planting native plants that are purchased during our Native Plant Sale at Stone Silo Prairie Gardens in De Pere WI (stonesiloprairie.com). Stone Silo starts all their plants from seed in an environmentally friendly environment.

Since 2022 they have been working with FOPPI's fundraising efforts by offering their plants to the public with the incentive that a percentage of the sale goes to a non-profit organization that shares their vision of nurturing and sustaining landscapes for birds and other animals. We in turn boost the signal and turn the proceeds into historic preservation and restoration of the buildings on Plum and Pilot Islands.

Mark your calendar for August 21, 2027, when you too can begin betting on natives.