Why Care About Pollinators?
In recent years, populations of pollinators (bees, butterflies, moths, beetles) have experienced drastic declines due to habitat loss from increased development and the overuse of pesticides.
35% of crops depend on insect pollination. We literally depend on pollinators for the food we eat! Helping to support urban pollinator populations will benefit our local community gardens and farms, making healthy eating more accessible to our communities.
The decrease in pollinator populations costs you money at the grocery store or farmers market! Farmers need to take extra steps to ensure the pollination of crops, and the cost of those added efforts is passed to the consumer.
How do Park Pride programs enhance pollinator habitats?
- The Volunteer Program leads projects across the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County to restore habitats, planting the native trees, bushes and flowers that pollinators rely on for food and shelter.
- The Park Visioning Program provides planning and design support to communities who want their parks to serve as pollinator habitats. In 2016, Park Pride, in partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden and with support from The Home Depot Foundation, worked with communities to design and install five pollinator gardens in City of Atlanta Parks.
- Our Grant Programs support projects that enhance pollinator habitats and improve urban resiliency, such as the construction of community gardens and rain gardens, the creation of wildlife sanctuaries, habitat restoration, and removal of invasive and harmful plant species.