The Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Department is hosting a BioBlitz event as part of the national Parks for Pollinators campaign, which is aimed at raising public awareness of the importance of pollinators and positioning parks as national leaders in advancing pollinator health.
Organized by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, the Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz event is held during September.
The Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz will run from Sept. 12 to Sept. 27. Two socially distanced kickoff programs will be held at Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve on Sept. 12 for adults and families interested in learning how to use the iNaturalist App.
Programs will be held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. with 10 participants each.
Pre-registration is required, as well as masks and adherence to social distancing guidelines. For more information and to register go to the Parks and Recreation Department web page on-line at www.bgohio.org or call the Bowling Green Community Center at 419-354-6223. Attendance at a kick off program is not required to participate.
For more information on participating at your leisure, please contact Kaleigh Obrock at kobrock@bgohio.org.
Pollinators are a vital component of our ecosystem, and an essential link to the world’s food supply. According to the White House’s Pollinators Health Task Force, during the last 30 years, the United States has seen a steady decline of pollinators (such as bees, bats and butterflies) at an alarming rate of 30 percent annually — making it vital to act on pollinator protection.
“Pollinators are critical for the health and wellbeing of our communities. Taking steps to protect our various pollinators has never been more important,” said Karl Schrass, NRPA director of conservation.
Kristin Otley, the City’s Parks & Recreation director, said, “This information will help us understand how we can better protect pollinators and other important wildlife in our community. We can use this information when planning for our park areas.”
“Research shows us that people want to take action and protect pollinator health, but oftentimes, they simply don’t know what to do,” said Carol Nowlin, corporate responsibility manager at ScottsMiracle-Gro. “A key piece of our partnership with NRPA is educating more community members, families and children on the steps they can take to support pollinators. And there’s no better location to do that than at their local park.”
