City of Grand Forks, ND
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Learn MoreMayor's Monarch Pledge
The Mayor's Monarch Pledge is a program created by the National Wildlife Federation that encourages cities to create habitat for monarchs and other pollinators. In 2023, the City of Grand Forks became a participant in this international initiative.
What's a pollinator?
A pollinator is any animal or insect that carries pollen from the male part (stamen) of a flower to the female part (stigma) of that same flower or a different flower, and this action fertilizes the flower allowing it to produce fruits, seeds, and young plants.
Butterflies and bees might be what we first imagine when thinking of pollinators, but ants, beetles, birds, bats, flies, wasps, and moths are also pollinators.
How to Make a Pollinator Garden:
- Native Plants to Pollinate
- Find plants and seeds native to our area to plant in your garden. Need some inspiration? Check out this list from the North Dakota Game and Fish: Gardening for Pollinators
- Water to Drink
- Pollinators need water too! If possible, place your pollinator garden near a water source such as a pond, stream, river, or coulee. If you don’t live near a natural water source, no problem! You can make a water source near your garden such as a birdbath, fountain, or a butterfly puddler.
- A Home for the Winter
- Certain pollinators such as monarch butterflies migrate to warmer temperatures over the winter, but not all pollinators migrate. For the pollinators that brave the cold, create a place for them to nest! You can do this by leaving bare ground that is not plowed, leaving perennials uncut from autumn, or leaving dead wood in your garden area. If you are interested in taking it a step further, you could build a butterfly house or a bee house!
- Healthy Pesticide Practices
- Now that you’ve got the pollinators to your garden, you have to take good care of them! Pesticides can often contain harmful chemicals that kill pollinators. Reference the list of toxic chemicals to pollinators to ensure your pesticides are safe to use. Then use these practices to minimize pesticide exposure to pollinators:
- Reduce spraying
- Do not spray blooming plants
- Spray during the late evening (bees and butterflies are out in the daytime)
- Always follow pesticide instructions
- Now that you’ve got the pollinators to your garden, you have to take good care of them! Pesticides can often contain harmful chemicals that kill pollinators. Reference the list of toxic chemicals to pollinators to ensure your pesticides are safe to use. Then use these practices to minimize pesticide exposure to pollinators:
Why plant a pollinator garden?
Pollinators are vital member of our environment because they are responsible for pollinating plants which produce the food we need to survive. However, the habitats that pollinators need to survive are shrinking. As a result, pollinator populations are declining. You can support pollinators by planting a native plant garden which gives pollinators food and a habitat.
Coming Soon
Check back here for upcoming information including:
- Pollinator gardens around Grand Forks
- Garden planting events
- Seed packet exchanges