Kids Pollinator Garden Project
On a sunny Friday, September 25th, 10 students from Nittany Valley Charter School planted a pollinator garden in the Children’s Nature Area, under the direction of Pam and Doug Ford - Coordinators of Snetsinger Butterfly Garden/PSU Master Gardeners.
1. Pam Ford led The Pollinator Garden Planting Project breaking students up into three groups. Based on information Pam shared regarding important aspects necessary for a sustainable pollinator garden, each group designed their own unique garden and explained, how and why they came up with their choices.
Pam and Doug and students
Students broke into groups
Designing
2. Planting the Children's Nature Area Pollinator Garden - All of the plants were provided by the Snetsinger Butterfly Garden, which is located in Tudek Park, State College. The garden design was created by Pam Ford based on a previous discussion with Beth Dougherty. Pam and Doug Ford gave the students general guidelines on planting, and the students set off working. Minimal adult assistance was needed - the students were enthusiastic - curious - and very engaged in the process.
Layout
Planting
Hands, plants, soil
3. Monarch Migration ,Tagging and Release - Once the planting was completed Pam and Doug brought two Monarch Butterflies, which they had captured the day before from the Snetsinger Butterfly Garden. Doug Ford gave a talk and demonstration on Monarch migration. The Snetsinger Butterfly Garden participates in a world wide Monarch tracking program. Pam Ford first explained the program to the students, the first butterfly was taken from the net cage, identified as male, measured, tagged, named, information recorded, and then released (to much cheering and applause!) The same procedure was then done with the second Monarch butterfly.
Monarch migration
Tagging monarch
Release and applause
4. Additional information on the day's activities. - The students were give a short history of Rhoneymeade and its current use by James Lesher, who also took them on trail hike to the Rhoneymeade Labyrinth.
Beth Dougherty, Children's Nature Area Coordinator, gave mini flower presses (which are available for visitors to the Children's Nature Area in the Library Resource Center Station) to all students and shared her own flower press and pressed flowers with the students. Many students took some of their free time to collect Rhoneymeade wild flowers and place them in their flower press as a lasting memento of their Rhoneymeade visit.
After full day at Rhoneymeade (from 9:15 am to 2:00 pm) as the students were boarding the bus to return to school they unanimously declared Rhoneymeade to be "The best field trip ever!"
Fully planted
A dedication to officially announce the establishment of the Rhoneymeade Children's Nature Area Pollinator Garden as a Snetsinger Butterfly Satellite Garden was held at the Rhoneymeade Fall Festival with representatives from the Snetsinger Butterfly garden present.
Doug and Pam Ford, and, Beth Dougherty at the dedication, October 24th