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Ways to grow healthier ecosystems at home for pollinators · Kendall County News - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: Ways to grow healthier ecosystems at home for pollinators. Written
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  Speaker 1: by Schechina Mullen, University of Illinois Extension. This article is
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  Speaker 1: being read by an automated voice brought to you by Everlet.
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  Speaker 1: Planting native flowers in a backyard, patio container, or community
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  Speaker 1: garden can provide critical food and habitat for butterflies, bees,
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  Speaker 1: and other pollinators. In recognition of National Pollinator Month, University
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  Speaker 1: of Illinois Extension encourages community members to create pollinator gardens
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  Speaker 1: at home to support the vital role insects and other
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  Speaker 1: wildlife play in the environment. More than one hundred and
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  Speaker 1: fifty crops rely on pollinators to produce one third of
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  Speaker 1: the US food supply, directly and indirectly. Beyond agriculture, other
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  Speaker 1: species depend on pollinators for well pollinated plants to bear fruit, nuts,
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  Speaker 1: and seeds on a scale that sustains ecosystems and biodiversity. Flies, bees, moths, beetles, wasps,
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  Speaker 1: and butterflies are among the pollinators experiencing population declines due
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  Speaker 1: to habitat loss and reduced pollen and nectar sources. Growing
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  Speaker 1: a pollinator garden with flowering plants is one simple way
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  Speaker 1: Illinois residents can make a meaningful environmental impact at home.
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  Speaker 1: To help, Illinois Extension is sharing pollinator gardening resources and
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  Speaker 1: upcoming programs during National Pollinator Month and beyond. Community members
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  Speaker 1: can learn how to attract pollinators to their yards, identify
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  Speaker 1: these vital species, and learn what to plant to support them.
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  Speaker 1: Residents can also explore the Extension's Illinois Pollinator Tool available
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  Speaker 1: at go dot Illinois dot e g slash Illinois Pollinator's Comma,
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  Speaker 1: which has expert recommendations on plants for pollinator gardens, plant
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  Speaker 1: design tips, community science opportunities, and additional resources to support
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  Speaker 1: pollinator habitats. People want simple ways to support pollinators at home,
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  Speaker 1: said Jamie Vibock, extend horticulture educator. Learning more about pollinators
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  Speaker 1: helps them understand what is needed to encourage them to
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  Speaker 1: visit our yards. Since twenty sixteen, nearly six hundred residents
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  Speaker 1: have reported small neighborhood gardens across Illinois through extensions Pollinator
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  Speaker 1: Pocket Initiative. Anyone can create one and report it through
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  Speaker 1: the Pollinator Pocket website to be added to the map
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  Speaker 1: of gardens in Illinois and across the nation. Small actions
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  Speaker 1: like this contribute to the positive impact needed to support pollinators.
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  Speaker 1: The incredible response from the community shows how individual actions
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  Speaker 1: can add to the larger effort to support pollinators. Each
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  Speaker 1: of these registered gardens helped sustain a healthy environment for
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  Speaker 1: pollinators and people. University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Ryan
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  Speaker 1: Pankal said, whether planting a few native flowers in containers
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  Speaker 1: or transforming part of a yard into a pollinator habitat,
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  Speaker 1: every garden can help support ecosystems across Illinois. For more
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  Speaker 1: information on how to support pollinators locally, find your neighborhood
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  Speaker 1: extension office at go dot Illinois dot ed slash find
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  Speaker 1: Extension