A stretch of Hennepin County land in Windom Park has been selected for development as native pollinator habitat. The site, at 2610 22nd Ave NE in the Stinson Triangle, is eroded and overgrown with invasive weed species, including buckthorn and Siberian elm.

The contractor, Landbridge Ecological, will remove invasive species and replant the 3200 square foot site with a native plant savanna, perfect for hosting a wide variety of native pollinator insects. Over the course of the next three years, the site will be transformed from a weedy mess into a native landscape.

Native landscapes, especially those that rely on seed as a base, take time to mature. The phrase sleep, creep, leap is often used. This is in reference to the three years of establishment it takes to realize a more permanent state. However, the planting will continue to evolve over its lifetime.

Windom Park Citizens in Action will be hosting a special neighborhood meeting on April 16th at 6:30pm to discuss the project at the Windom Park Rec Center (2251 Hayes St NE). A representative from Landbridge Ecological will present a detailed overview of the project and answer questions.

WHY DO WE NEED POLLINATORS?

Over 75 percent of the world’s plants rely on pollinators to reproduce. We also depend on pollinators to maintain our food supply. One third of every bite of food we eat is pollinated by butterflies, bees, beetles, birds, bats, and other small mammals. Without pollinators, our food system would collapse.

Pollinators also help maintain our surrounding landscape. They protect the plants that clean our water, reduce runoff, build our soil, provide shade and oxygen, prevent erosion, and support other wildlife.