Pollinator Initiative seed hand out events planned

The conservation districts of Sanders County are offering free pollinator plot seed to support pollinator habitat in your own backyard. Not only will this seed mix provide beautiful flowers and other native plant species, it will also increase pollinator habitat in Sanders County.

Did you know that one in three bites of food are supported by pollinators such as bees? Pollinators travel from plant to plant, carrying pollen trapped in the fine hairs on their legs and bodies, allowing the plant to reproduce.

Pollinators are very busy creatures, but even amid this hustle and bustle, they are providing vital ecosystem services to plants and humans alike. They have a large economic benefit to the agricultural industry, since pollination is not possible without them. By participating in the pollinator initiative through Green Mountain Conservation District and Eastern Sanders Conservation District, you can help attract these helpful pollinators to your property!

If you are interested in growing food for pollinators, FREE seed mix is available through both the Eastern Sanders County Conservation District and the Green Mountain Conservation District as a part of the Sanders County Pollinator Initiative.

This mix is specially selected for Western Montana and includes flowers of all shapes and sizes. It is best planted in the early spring or late fall. To prepare you for the spring planting season, the area conservation districts, along with assistance from partner organizations, will be having five seed handout events:

Saturday, May 13

Hot Springs Farmers Market, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Tuesday, May 16

Fairgrounds-Riverside Parking Lot, Plains, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Thompson Falls Library, 2-4 p.m.

Wednesday, May 17

Pilgrim Creek Park, Noxon, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Trout Creek Park, 2-4 p.m.

Through the Pollinator Initiative, the support of the Lower Clark Fork Watershed Group and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s 223 Program, conservation districts can connect landowners with support for developing a pollinator garden as well as implementing other conservation practices, such as improving streamside vegetation or installing riparian fencing. Contact your local conservation district to learn more!

Eastern Sanders County Conservation District, (406) 830-8687, easternsanderscd@macdnet.org

Green Mountain Conservation District, (406) 827-4833, gmcd@blackfoot.net