Wilton Garden Club “Pollinator Pathway” Efforts to Save the Bees–How YOU Can Help

From left:  Jackie Algon, Board member NRWA, Louise Washer, President NRWA, Allison Sanders,VP Wilton Garden Club
Wilton Garden Club Donation to Support “Pollinator Pathway”

The Wilton Garden Club has made a $500 donation to the Norwalk River Watershed Association (NRWA) to support a “Pollinator Pathway” in Wilton, a collaboration between the Wilton Garden Club and the Wilton Library Association, Norwalk River Watershed Association, Wilton Land Conservation Trust and Woodcock Nature Center.

The effort, says NRWA board member Jackie Algon, is a response to the large-scale decline of honeybees.

“The idea is to create pathways for native pollinators like moths, butterflies and birds to travel, which in turn, is crucial to sustaining wildlife and native plants.”

Initially, the pollinator pathway will travel up Rte. 7 and continue north on Rte. 33 towards Ridgefield. Teams of volunteers will plant pollinator-friendly flowers and plants, such as native milkweed, along the route to attract the bees, moths, and birds that have historically pollinated plant life in Wilton.

Donations such as this one to the NRWA by the Garden Club are made possible by funds raised through the Garden Club’s annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale, which is the club’s major fundraiser. This year the Plant Sale takes place, rain or shine, at Wilton’s Town Green on Friday, May 12, from 12-6 p.m., and Saturday, May 13, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.. There will also be a Plant Sale pre-sale on Wednesday, May 10, from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Club’s Greenhouse located at the Comstock Community Center, which will be open to the public for those who want to get early access to the Club’s best offerings.

Library Panel Discussion on Pollinator Gardens

Today, (Tuesday, April 18), the Wilton Garden Club and the Wilton Library are hosting a panel discussion about the Pollinator Pathway and “How to Bring Butterflies and Bees Back to Your Yard.” The talk will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. This informative panel discussion on why pollinators are important to the environment and what homeowners and apartment dwellers can do to protect and attract them, features the following experts:  Jim Norgren, an environmental consultant from South Salem who served as executive director of the Northeast Wilderness Trust and the Bedford Audubon Society; Shaun McCoshum, Ph.D., the preserve manager and educator for the Westchester Land Trust; and, Victor DeMasi, a lepidopterist, research affiliate for Yale’s Peabody Museum, Redding Conservation Officer, and NRWA Advisory Board member.

There is no charge to attend the discussion, although registration is recommended. Register online or call 203.762.6334.

Help Plant Wilton’s Pollinator Pathway

Volunteers are needed to help plant a Pollinator Garden along the Norwalk River Valley Trail, on Sunday, April 30, from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.. Join the Norwalk River Watershed Association for a day of volunteer planting. The group will remove invasive plants from the site and plant native pollinator-friendly shrubs, trees, wildflowers and grasses along the Norwalk River Valley Trail at the crosswalk on Sharp Hill Rd. in Wilton. Park at the lot on Autumn Ridge Dr., just off Sharp Hill. Plants and refreshments provided by a grant from REI Norwalk. Bring gloves, shovels and spades if possible. Limited supplies will be available. More information and registration at via email or by phone at 877.NRWA.INFO.