Brookfield Pollinator Pathway

The pollinator pathway is focused on saving our pollinators and supporting biodiversity. We don't often get into climate mitigation but climate change is affecting everything. Reducing pollution from fossil fuels is at the core of climate change so I thought you'd like to know how our world leaders are (or are not) dealing with reducing greenhouse gasses...

Fossil fuel lobbyists pour into COP28 The world's most important climate conference is a veritable who's who of polluter-funded climate delay.

The Pollinator Pathway is focused on saving our pollinators and supporting biodiversity. We don't often discuss climate mitigation but climate change is affecting everything. Reducing greenhouse gasses from burning fossil fuels is at the core of climate change so I thought you'd like to know what the fossil fuel industry and our world leaders are (or are not) doing regarding the reduction of greenhouse gasses...

Fossil fuel lobbyists pour into COP28 The world's most important climate conference is a veritable who's who of polluter-funded climate delay.

It's time to speak your mind. Contact Senator Blumenthal, Senator Murphy, and Representative Johanna Hayes and ask them to vote NO on taking away the ability of our state and local government to place restrictions on pesticide use and vote YES to protecting our children from toxic pesticides. Why? Because neonics and many other pesticides are killing our environment and affecting the health of our pollinators and yes, us humans too! There is a lot of good information in here along with a recent presentation on neonics. Please read this and contact our representatives in Congress. There's a link that makes this very easy to do so PLEASE, do it!
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/fdOi_7EJn?languageTag=en&cid=c0c26f05-9c64-4443-bb4a-dfc0d2348511

The Fall Newsletter is here and it's full of interesting and informative articles.

Fall 2023 Newsletter Pollinator Pathway THE BUZZ

Most of us are not very happy with our electric supplier but it appears that they have actually taken a positive step toward climate change. What does climate change have to do with pollinators? Everything...

Eversource left the American Gas Association. These other “climate-friendly” utilities haven’t. Self-proclaimed climate champions are paying hundreds of thousands every year to help AGA push climate delay

See what's going on with other Pollinator Pathway groups from around the country...

Pollinator Week Webinar Sharing Pathway Success Stories Join the Conversation! June 20 at 6:30PM on Zoom REGISTER HERE Please join us for an update on some exciting new developments along the Pollinator Pathway and to hear from a panel of Pathway Community Organizers-- from Cape Cod, MA; southeast PA; central OH; and western OR--who will share successes, challenges, and lessons learned. Participants are invited to s...

Community & Conservation Connections Event in the Hudson to Housatonic Region of NY & CT June 27, 4-7 PM Pace University Dear Pollinator Pathway Organizers in the H2H Region: Please join us at this event hosted by the Hudson to Housatonic RCP (H2H), a bi-state regional landscape conservation initiative that advances the pace and practice of regional land protection and stewardship from the Hudson to the Housatonic by....

Great summer reading. Interesting and informative. Enjoy!

SUMMER 2023 Newsletter Pollinator Pathway THE BUZZ

Thank you to everyone who participated in No Mow May. The bees thank you, the butterflies thank you, and the birds thank you too.

Members of the Brookfield Pollinator Pathway... the Pollinator Pathway will be promoting Garden Tours held throughout the month of June. Help showcase the beauty of native plants by leading tours through demonstration gardens or setting up self-guided tours. Individuals and communities along the pollinator pathway across the country are welcome to join. If you're interested in participating please submit your garden by filling out the form for Pollinator Pathway Garden Tours by the extended deadline of May 10th. We will start promoting the tours starting the week of May 15th. Tours planned for July or August can also be included. We'll continually update all opportunities to visit gardens!

Email [email protected] with any questions.

Help restore Williams Park. Join us as we remove invasive plants to make way for a new and beautiful entrance featuring a native pollinator garden.

Just in time for Spring planting! Visit the SEED LIBRARY at the Brookfield Library...
https://mailchi.mp/brookfieldlibrary/introducing-brookfield-shares-grows-a-seed-library?e=b76ca2719e

Do you suffer from allergies? Are they worse this year than in years past? You can blame Climate Change!

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/save-the-trees-prevent-the-sneeze-2019091017666?utm_id=5198863&dlv-emuid=38aa0ba3-252a-4e40-93ad-645933b570f1&dlv-mlid=5198863

Save the trees, prevent the sneeze - Harvard Health If it seems like your seasonal allergies are worse than they used to be, you aren’t imagining it, and you aren’t alone. Climate change has caused a longer pollen season, and plan...

HELP!!! We need your help! The time has come to lobby for passage of Neonic legislation. If you cannot attend in person, then please send an email to your State Senator: [email protected] and [email protected]. A sample letter is in the attachment... just copy and paste.
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/9eOUFFmh0?languageTag=en&cid=7b88e608-8c13-4d26-8e54-2b5324b706b4

Time Sensitive Action Needed to Support Laws Banning Bee-Killing Pesticides in NY & CT! Dear Pathway Members, The New York State Birds and Bees Protection Act (A3226/S1856)—a nationally important bill to curb neurotoxic neonicotinoid pesticides (“neonics”) driving mass bee, bird, other pollinator losses across the country—needs your help now if you live in New York! As the end ...

Good to know!

Keep Your Yard Safe From Hummingbird Predators If you love attracting hummingbirds, you'll want to keep them safe. Find out which hummingbird predators to watch out for.

Have you noticed the trees along many of our roads and highways or in your backyard that are covered with vines? Vines that keep growing and expanding covering all of our natural vegetation. There are a number of invasive plant species. They strangle the trees and smother native plants. And in doing so, they rob our pollinators and other wildlife of the nourishment they depend on from native plants. Listen, watch, and learn as the Brookfield Conservation Commission is offering a free three part program on invasive plants in Brookfield. Register for in-person or Zoom.
https://mailchi.mp/brookfieldlibrary/invasive-plants-and-trees-in-brookfield-program-series?e=b76ca2719e

Invasive Plants and Trees in Brookfield Program Series This is a three-part series on invasive plants and trees in CT and Brookfield overtaking our parks, open spaces and conservation land. The first part in the series will involve how to identify many invasive species in your yard, where to find them, what they look like, and what to do if you have th...

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to help remove invasive plants from Williams Park. The invasives are not only choking and smothering native plants, they are an eyesore! Help fight invasives while improving and beautifying our most popular community park! This project is a collaborative effort with the Brookfield Conservation Commission.

Have you noticed the trees that are starting to bloom? Not only beautiful but it's FOOD for Pollinators!!
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/c5OSFHs7A?languageTag=en&cid=c0c26f05-9c64-4443-bb4a-dfc0d2348511

Spring 2023 Newsletter Pollinator Pathway THE BUZZ

UPDATE ON POLLINATOR GARDEN AT ERIKSEN FARM OPEN SPACE
From Joanne McMillan, Master Gardener: I wanted to update everyone on our progress with the Pollinator Garden at Eriksen Farm open space!! As you know we are coordinating with the Brookfield Conservation Commission to put in a Pollinator Garden, and they are funding it as well as a grant from the Master Gardeners Association.
We started last year by spreading plastic to kill the invasive weeds and put up the fencing and gate. We have a prep day on 15 April (PM) and a planting day on 22 April for the Pollinator Garden. All the plants are coming from Earth Tones, the native plants nursery in Woodbury.
We would welcome any volunteers who can help out on either day! Please contact me ([email protected]) if you'd like to join in, and I can send details.
Also, I am not sure if Barbara Stauder (Garden Club of Brookfield) updated you on this, but thanks to her efforts (together with the Brookfield Conservation Commission), the Pocket Park to be planted at the Brookfield four corners will now be planted with almost entirely native plants rather than what was previously proposed.

Can't wait to start your garden? You can get started now... here's how:
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/post/winter-seed-sowing?postId=c9102058-3c93-489b-ae2f-6fff61b26ad6&cid=7b88e608-8c13-4d26-8e54-2b5324b706b4

Winter Seed Sowing If it's still cold and wintery where you are, winter seed sowing might be the perfect project! You can sow seeds directly into your garden beds or into flats or recycled translucent plastic jugs to be left outside while it’s still cold out. Check out these winter seed sowing basics to get you star...

A CALL TO ACTION! Please read the following and show your support by taking action!
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/82OP-uDyj?languageTag=en&cid=c0c26f05-9c64-4443-bb4a-dfc0d2348511

An Important Environmental Bill Before the Connecticut Legislature This year, the Pollinator Pathway is Supporting a Green Amendment to the Connecticut Constitution

Something to do on a Wednesday afternoon in February... learn about insects as pollinators and as natural pest control. Click here to register: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrlandconservancy.org%2Fevent%2Fbiodiversity-session-4%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3UO39_pc8qHdkBpGHq5dpwTJGw1GDXczYFjE51HmItD7M4Fz2Ac-RGkjY&h=AT1jGCy6dP2cX0ENZLcHdeN8tkcQbuk_joej31wMyGL3TPEhmFHnfEeUjaBL-jSPUHGpnj7ESDOAgk2wLNF11cSZphWMKGlF0FV5k0Inm571szZv0e6nzvs2fCKCR-rWj7u8V0yhRGs_TVg8ug&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT379MUpno4Cy40qrkfZwMgFgVhPA39RHcuf2VDOy6zg4bo830JCZp7nEj4wgDbD5BYru7kRm8spyl1LOQPrDPexVT9qyTPKLjo8qIK41i3sbPTCjNEBJ8_tD6aB40vPV_Ldh-8oT2OkzA5W5pkib_nBBPh_p2ggQH_YK2YZgbXxAt3msLymvsPsafWo0bc-f4GXgrL8Tvmn

Three sessions down, two to go! So far, Inviting Biodiversity into Our Gardens has been an informative and inspiring virtual symposium. We are so excited about our next session, Insects with Benefits: Pollination and Natural Pest Control on Wednesday, February 15 from 1 - 4 PM ET.

This session aims to dispel myths and improve our appreciation of wasps, moths, and spiders. These insects have long generated a swat, shriek, or scream when encountered, but after this session, you will hail them in your gardens! During Session 4 we will hear from three renowned presenters in their fields: Eric R. Eaton, Author and Entomologist, Jim McCormac, author and field botanist, and Dr. Kefyn M. Catley, Biologist, Arthropod Systemics.

Don't forget to register! https://www.wrlandconservancy.org/event/biodiversity-session-4/

This is important! Please send your written testimony TODAY!
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/85OOykyQ7?languageTag=en&cid=7b88e608-8c13-4d26-8e54-2b5324b706b4

Sign Up to Testify in Favor of Pesticide Reform in Connecticut at the Environment Committee Public Hearing Wednesday, February 15, 11:00AM Room 2B of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford and via Zoom or Submit Written Testimony S.B. No.... In-Person Lobby Day in Albany for New York Birds & Bees Protection Act Help show NY legislators how important curbing bee-killing, water-polluting, human-health-harming neonic pesticides is to all New Yorkers. To join, email Lena Faustel at NRDC, [email protected], for details.

There is an organization dedicated to the preservation of the Monarch Butterfly. Their website is very informative on topics like migration waystations, butterfly gardening, and monarch biology.
Check them out at: https://www.monarchwatch.org/

Monarch Watch Tagging Program • Monarch Calendar Project • Directional Flight Project • Monarch Watch Tag Recoveries • Report a Tagged Monarch Sighting • Free Milkweeds for Restoration Projects • Monarch Population Status • Monarch Conservation Specialists • Bring Back The Monarchs • Chip in for...

Here is some interesting and informative reading to soothe your winter doldrums. There are many timely articles in this newsletter.
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/58OKRhuxB?languageTag=en&cid=7b88e608-8c13-4d26-8e54-2b5324b706b4

Winter 2023 Newsletter Pollinator Pathway THE BUZZ

The United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) report confirms the importance of efforts to help protect, restore and connect habitat for pollinators! Unfortunately, the United States, the only country other than the Vatican, hasn’t joined the most important international agreement to conserve biodiversity, known as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Here is the framework of the agreement and why the U.S. has refused to ratify it...
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/tr/63c6621a-716b-4a63-b319-0b7d77d39b0e?cid=c0c26f05-9c64-4443-bb4a-dfc0d2348511

New from the Blog in ${website.Name} ${title}

IMPORTANT!
Register for this Zoom seminar on Thurs, Dec 1st @ 6:30pm.
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/55OI2h30k?languageTag=en&cid=7b88e608-8c13-4d26-8e54-2b5324b706b4 #/main

Learn More About Bee-Killing Neonic Pesticides and What We Can Do to Help Ban Them Thursday, December 1, 6:30PM on Zoom Register Here Join the Pollinator Pathway and NRDC for a talk on the science behind threats posed by neonicotinoid pesticides... Webinar Speakers: Dan Raichel is Acting Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Pollinator initiative, which focuses on protecting our nation’s bee populations from the ever-growing threats to their health and existence—in particular, the use of bee-toxic pesticides. Raichel was fo...

“We no longer want to live in a world in which we only seek to consume and use things and discard them.” Young activists around the world are calling for more action on climate change...
https://apnews.com/article/science-mexico-climate-and-environment-government-politics-543dafba41cd5da908d47195ec5255a2

Fed up young climate activists: 'Adults aren't listening' WASHINGTON (AP) — The climate change generation is saying officials are talking too much, listening too little and acting even less. And they are fed up.

Go sow your wild oats... or at least flowers. These make great Christmas gifts!
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/eeOGBdqYJ?languageTag=en&cid=7b88e608-8c13-4d26-8e54-2b5324b706b4 #/main

Check Out Eco59's Winter Seed Sowing Kit! This all-in-one seed starting kit comes with sturdy screened box, organic potting soil, worm castings (for bringing soil back to life), seed tray, 3 packets of seed ecotypic to the northeast (yarrow,...

Garden tours in SW CT - it's a great time to be outdoors enjoying the gardens!
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/28OD7Xg-9?languageTag=en&cid=7b88e608-8c13-4d26-8e54-2b5324b706b4 #/main

Pollinator Pathway Southwest CT Garden Tours Tour Gardens and Meadows in Norwalk, Wilton, and Ridgefield Sunday October 2, 9:30-11:30 Then Meet at Nod Hill Brewery At Noon! Family-Friendly Gathering at Nod Hill's Pollinator Meadow with Native Seed & Plant Sale from the Hickories

The Fall edition of The Buzz is here! The Monarch populations migrating to Mexico have seriously declined... in fact, Monarchs are now considered an endangered species. We need to do what we can to increase the Monarch population! Read more about this important topic here...
https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/10OCJAjsg?languageTag=en&cid=7b88e608-8c13-4d26-8e54-2b5324b706b4 #/main

Fall 2022 Newsletter Pollinator Pathway THE BUZZ

Take action to ban Glyphosate from our food supply - read the attached and sign the petition!
https://chng.it/z5d9P8X8cZ

Have you seen this petition yet? Ban Glyphosate: Keep harmful chemicals out of our foods

HELP US SAVE BETHEL EXTENSION LAND
Master Gardener Offices and Demonstration Garden
are Being Forced to Vacate the Premises

Stony Hill Preserve, Incorporated (SHP), the current owner of this property at 67-69 Stony Hill Road, has suddenly terminated the lease for the UConn Cooperative Extension offices at this location. The Extension offices at this location include the Fairfield County Master Gardener program and the Fairfield County Demonstration Garden. We, the Master Gardener (MG) volunteers at the Demo Garden, are deeply saddened by this action and we are asking for the public’s support in protesting this action.

SHP has not provided the MG volunteers or the Demo Garden any reason for this early termination. The lease termination is currently scheduled for August 1, 2022, although UConn is working to extend this to November 2022.

The Demo Garden’s mission has been to generate interest in potential gardeners and to support and educate existing gardeners. Garden harvests are donated to local community food pantries.
This property has been supporting agricultural education in Fairfield County since the 1950s. The Fairfield County Agricultural Extension Council, Inc (FCAEC) was formed at that time to partner with the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System (Extension) in providing educational programs for agriculture,
home life, and youth in Fairfield County. Extension currently includes the Master Gardeners, 4H, Urban Agriculture, and Nutrition. Through a coordinated effort with all interested parties, the FCAEC became the owners of the property in 1969, with the responsibility of maintaining and managing the property for
Extension programs. The Farm Bureau was instrumental in acquiring the land. Many volunteers and donations contributed to the construction of the 2 main buildings on the property for Extension. Additional volunteers built other structures to enhance the use of the property. In 2013, MGs started the Demonstration Garden.
In 2017, the property was transferred from FCAEC to the Stony Hill Preserve along with a significant amount of FCAEC money, with the understanding that the newly formed SHP would provide continued support to the existing Extension operations on the property. Now in 2022, SHP served UConn Extension a lease termination notice and are being forced out.

We, the Master Gardener volunteers, would like to see the property transferred back to its original owner, the FCAEC, and have the mission of the property to support Extension agricultural education remain in place. The Master Gardener office and Demo Garden are among the many valuable community resources Extension provides to our community. Please support us in this goal by any of the following actions:
• Sign our Petition which is circulating
• Email or write letters to local newspapers and your local Government officials
• Post on your favorite Social Media

Thank you for your support

Help save the Monarchs! Here's a source of great butterfly attracting plantings for your garden.
https://manage.kmail-lists.com/subscriptions/web-view?a=RxSdNq&c=01G64MR6S3VQ0BQC2ZKSDTC7AC&k=61a3f304076e5bf1bf62594987c26460&m=TaFi56&r=RK4qjZp

An interesting and informative article on plant science...
https://phys.org/news/2022-08-stressed-out.html

Signaling 'stressed-out' plants A plant scientist from the University of Missouri has discovered a new way of measuring stress in plants, which comes at a time when plants are experiencing multiple stressors from heat, drought and flooding because of extreme weather events.

Lots of interesting and useful information in this issue... And a great summer read.

SUMMER 2022 Newsletter Pollinator Pathway THE BUZZ

We are being invaded! Help!

From our friends at Protect Our Pollinators...
https://mailchi.mp/2cf82b361bbb/news-from-protect-our-pollinators?e=1dcbd9023f