Pollinator Pathway

Welcome to the Glastonbury Pollinator Pathway! We are creating a corridor of adjacent properties—private residences and public spaces—that provide safe habitat for birds, bees, butterflies and other insects. Our goal is to make Glastonbury one big pollinator pathway with private, commercial and municipal spaces being pesticide free and hosting native plants; from small flower boxes or curbside strips to large parcels of land. This project will create food and habitat for pollinators such as bees, butterflies and other insects, which are in great decline. 

Pollinators come in all shapes and sizes, from bees and butterflies to hummingbirds. Many insects have evolved to be plant specific and depend exclusively on native plants to host their larvae. In addition to being reliant on native plants, most local bees only have a travel range of half a mile before they need to refuel. As a result, we need to involve our community in connecting our fragmented nature preserves, parks, town owned properties and our backyards with pollinator friendly plants. We will also work with local nurseries to encourage the promotion and selling of native plants. 

90% of all plants rely on pollinating insects in order to reproduce. Pollinators facilitate cross pollination by flying from one plant to another. The USDA states that more than 35% of our food relies on pollinators. Many insect species are plummeting, in part due to a lack of available native plants. In order to help insects thrive, we need to create pollinator pathways. This will greatly benefit the food chain, from insects to the people in our community. 

Our efforts can make a huge difference to our pollinator numbers and will help improve the quality of our town's air, water and soil. Please join us!