Fire fighters rescue pollinator garden

After three years of care-filled planting and tending of pollinator-friendly plants for pollinators and earning a status of a Monarch Way Station, the Cherry Valley Trails Pollinator Garden was mistakenly mowed this spring. The Cherry Hill Environmental Board (CHEB) was in great need of assistance to save it. Cherry Hill fire fighters to the rescue.

The Cherry Valley Trails Pollinator Meadow is a CHEB project to improve the environmental on Township Open Space natural lands. At this location the mission is to provide habitat and nectar for our native bees and butterflies. The Pollinator Meadow has been increasing in native plants and flowers since its beginning in 2015.

To rescue the garden, over 900 plants were purchased, but there were few volunteers available who could help, and the replanting needed to be done quickly as it was already late May! Ten volunteers from our fire department learned of the need and came running as soon as they could after completing a work shift at the Fire Department. Then they worked another three hours at the garden. Their enthusiasm didn’t end with the marathon planting event. They have committed to help build a stone border and path for the garden. On behalf of the pollinators, CHEB offers many thanks to these Cherry Hill Fire Fighters.Now that the plants are blooming, the butterflies and bees are finding the nectar and pollen they need. If you would like to volunteer to help in a CHEB pollinator garden, please contact Earle Seneres, CHEB Liaison, at 856-424-3203.

Article and photo by Mary Ellen Lane.
Published in Fall 2019 Cherry Hill Community Magazine.