A group of Newton South High School students have expanded an existing pollinator garden on the school grounds, using a small grant provided by Green Newton to purchase plants and other supplies. The project was created as a part of the sustainability class taught by Andrew Thompson. The following is the project description composed by the students:

“Pollinators are an integral part of our ecosystem. However, as a result of various anthropogenic factors (such as climate change, habitat destruction, and pesticide use), pollinator populations all over the world are being threatened. Pollinators preserve biodiversity and help out with agriculture.

Newton South High School students in Mr. Thompson’s Sustainability class aimed to boost local pollinator populations by building an extension to an already existing pollinator garden near the school’s organic produce garden.

They did research to find what plants would be best to include and talked to experts in Germany about community tactics to conserve pollinators. A variety of native plants were chosen for their ability to endure harsh conditions, staggered bloom times, and most importantly provided pollinators with the resources they need to thrive.”

The group of students that worked on this project thoughtfully expressed their appreciation for receiving a small grant from Green Newton to purchase the plants and other materials. They also mentioned that it was helpful to have information that was posted on the Green Newton post, “How to Stop Bunnies from Eating Your Pollinator Garden.”