Pollinator Friendly Gardens

We need pollinators. Pollinators need us.

Pollination is vital to our food supply. Birds, bees, butterflies, beetles, as well as other insects and small mammals are responsible for putting one out of every three bites of food in our mouth. These insects and other animals play a key role in helping plants reproduce.

Pollinators travel from plant to plant carrying pollen on their bodies, transferring genetic material critical to the reproduction of most flowering plants. In fact, over 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants need help with pollination. These necessary plants not only feed us but also produce half of the world’s oils, fibers, and raw materials, as well as prevent soil erosion and increase carbon sequestration.

It is widely known that the Honeybee, Native bee, Monarch butterfly and songbird populations are all in decline due to several environmental factors including loss of habitat, pesticide use, pollution, and climate change. Monroe County Master Gardeners are officially joining the world-wide effort to educate the public on how to help pollinators.  The Pollinator Friendly Garden program will provide helpful information on how to encourage and support pollinators whether it be on a doorstep or apartment balcony, in a front or back yard, or surrounding a parking lot.

You can join this effort by:

• Learning about the native pollinators in the Western New York area and how to attract them.
• Learning about and identifying Western New York’s appropriate  native host and nectar plants, which will help our local pollinator populations thrive once again through all four seasons. 
• Tips to avoid an "Oops! That's not native" moment
• Identifying and removing invasive species that are detrimental to native pollinators and their habitats. 
• Protecting pollinators from pesticide use in the garden and neighborhood.
• Planting a pollinator friendly garden that provides a diversity of plants through all three growing seasons and provides shelter for the entire year. 
• Certifying your pollinator friendly garden   through the Master Gardeners. 

The Pollinator Friendly Certified Garden program was inspired and based upon Michigan State University Extension bulletin E3314 developed by MSU Extension in collaboration with the Michigan Pollinator Initiative (MPI). © 2019 Michigan State University All rights reserved.  Materials were adapted from Penn State’s Pollinator program, developed by Penn State Master Gardeners in collaboration with the Center for Pollinator Research.

Last updated November 7, 2022