UR installs pollinator garden during National Pollinator Week

University of Richmond students in Jennifer Sevin’s ecology course this summer are learning about the importance of pollinators, bee colony collapse, native species and ecosystem restoration.

On Thursday, Sevin, a visiting lecturer in biology, and her students are teaming up with Kirstin Berben, biology laboratories manager and one of UR’s beekeepers, to create a pollinator garden during National Pollinator Week.

A pollinator garden is an area that has native flowering plants that specifically attract pollinators, including bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and bats. Benefits include:

• Pollinators are cruicial to the ecosystem because they carry pollen from one plant to another for reproduction.
• Most agricultural crops require pollinators so there is a benefit to people and our economy by having a diversity of pollinators.
• Many pollinators have been in decline, and there is a big push to increase the numbers by planting pollinator gardens. 

The UR team is planting coneflowers, aster, cardinal flower, yarrow and milkweed with a goal to have a variety of plants that attract different types of pollinators and have flowers blooming from spring to fall.

This pollinator garden is part of an ongoing beekeeping program that addresses ecological concerns. UR has two hives on campus. The bees help pollinate plants and provide ample research opportunities. Learn more in this media release.

The Office of Sustainability and Landscape Services are helping with the project. 

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