Launched to encourage and support habitat for native pollinators, the PUTNAM POLLINATOR PATHWAY is an initiative of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County. Individuals, groups, clubs, parks, libraries, care facilities, golf courses, schools, commercial and retail entities, municipalities, and others, are joining together to establish a corridor for pollinators spanning the County and connecting with other Pathways across the Northeast.
Insects form a critical link in the food web that sustains all life. A whopping 80-90 percent of all flowering plants depend on insect pollination, and insect pollination accounts for one in three bites of the food we eat. Yet native insect populations are in peril due to declining native plant populations, improper pesticide use, and climate change. The pollinators need help!
People on the Pathway are planting native trees, shrubs and flowers to provide pollinators with healthy habitat (food, water, shelter) throughout the growing season and nesting places through the winter. They are also eliminating pesticides that harm pollinators, birds, other wildlife, and even our own water supplies.
Creating a pesticide-free corridor of public and private properties forges links between our communities, provides the diversity of plant species all nature needs, and makes our landscape more healthy and beautiful.
Interactive Virtual Tour of a Real Pollinator Garden:
Jennifer Lerner
Senior Resource Educator
jjs95@cornell.edu
845-278-6738 ext. 216
Last updated November 22, 2024