Teaching Garden was Abuzz
The Teaching Garden was abuzz with activity as we recently hosted the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. Four garden sites in Chatham County participated in the annual “citizen science” event to document the health of pollinator insects and educate the public in the vital role of pollinators for natural and agricultural plants.
Community members, aided by volunteer Master Gardeners from NC State Agricultural Extension, conducted a series of fifteen-minute counts as pollinator insects, including bees, flies, and moths, visited the garden on their daily rounds of feeding and fertilizing flowering plants. Sitting quietly with prepared check-off forms, about thirty folks closely watched individual plants to record the activities of the visiting insects.
Organized by the University of Georgia and extending over North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, the census integrates the accumulated data from participating sites to publish a descriptive report on the trends in the insect populations, as they are impacted by human activity such as urbanization and environmental pollution. Pittsboro beekeeper Jamie came by to help with the count, remarking, “…I appreciated seeing the little park in downtown Pittsboro and the plants that are there helping to feed the pollinators…”
The event, which drew participants of all ages, also featured pollinator-themed games and educational activities prepared by the Master Gardeners. The Pollinator Census is the latest of a series of monthly public educational events presented by the Master Gardeners and hosted at the Teaching Garden by Chatham Alliance.
