(Credit: New Britain Township)
Members of the New Britain Township Environmental Advisory Council spent part of the fall working alongside local Scouts on a hands-on environmental project designed to support pollinators and promote native plant growth.
The Environmental Advisory Council was invited by Cub Scout Pack 133 leader Shannon Fredebaugh-Siller to guide Cub Scouts from Pack 133 and members of Scout Troop 169 through a native seed planting project known as winter sowing. The initiative teaches participants how to grow native plants using simple materials while allowing seeds to naturally germinate as temperatures warm in the spring.
The EAC supplied seeds from a variety of native plant species that are important to pollinators, while the Scouts brought soil, translucent milk jugs to serve as mini-greenhouses, and plenty of enthusiasm. After a brief discussion on keystone plant species and the role pollinators play in local ecosystems, the group got to work.
Scouts rotated through stations where they cut the jugs, filled them with soil, selected and planted seeds, and labeled each container. The completed mini-greenhouses were then taken home and placed outside in sheltered locations, where they will remain through the winter until the seeds germinate in spring.
The partnership will continue in the coming months. Scouts and EAC members plan to reunite in the spring for a planting at Peace Valley Nature Center or at the Native Plant garden located at the New Britain Township building at North Branch Park.
“It was a pleasure to work with such an engaged group of children, parents, and leaders who are actively working toward a healthier environment and better future right here in New Britain Township,” the Environmental Advisory Council said in a statement.
Residents interested in learning more about the Environmental Advisory Council, getting involved, or receiving a monthly informational email can contact the group at [email protected]
The EAC meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the township building, and meetings are open to the public.
