MSU transforms property to support pollinators

Michigan State University (MSU) is transforming 30 acres of campus land into pollinator-friendly habitat, including gardens, meadows and clover fields. 

The Department of Entomology and Infrastructure Planning and Facilities at MSU collaborated to expand insect- and pollinator-friendly habitat while reducing landscape maintenance demands. Pollinator gardens use native plants to provide nectar, pollen and host resources for beneficial insects. Pollinator meadows are areas where mowing is halted so native grasses and plants can grow, offering habitat through a more passive approach. 

The project began when Joshua Ridner, MSU landscape services coordinator, and Meghan Milbrath, MSU Entomology apiculture professor, connected through the Campus Landscape Stewardship Committee. Together they developed a plan to use campus land more strategically to support pollinators and reduce the workload for facilities staff, who maintain 290 acres weekly. 

Read the full story on the Department of Entomology website >