CTDOT is ready for this year’s National Pollinator Week

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is preparing for National Pollinator Week, June 17-23.

Implemented in 2017, the program has expanded to 139 conservation areas comprising 240 acres of state property, according to a release.

The goal is simple: “…provide essential habitats for pollinating insects, such as bees and monarch butterflies, through strategic seeding operations and vegetation management, such as intentional reduced mowing,” states the communicated.

CTDOT pollinator corridors are marked with special conservation area signage, according to a release. They have warm-season grasses, native wildflowers, and low vegetation; think milkweed, goldenrod, Joe Pye grass and aster.

The benefits of pollinators and pollination, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, include the 80 percent of food and plant products that require pollination, as well as the production of breathable oxygen and the reduction of carbon dioxide in the air.

“We are incredibly proud of the ongoing efforts to reclaim state property and return it to nature to provide safe habitats for pollinators. Whether it’s creating a new dedicated conservation area or deliberate efforts to reduce mowing, we continue to expand these areas each year to help create a more sustainable environment,” said CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, in a press release. “Just as our roads and highways connect people, we are creating pollinator corridors to ensure these essential species can travel freely throughout Connecticut and the region. Our conservation areas help pollinators thrive.

Readers can spot these pollinator corridors near highway ramps, medians and along road shoulders, according to a release. Be sure not to impede traffic, according to CTDOT, by stopping on the highway to take a photo.