To help endangered monarch butterfly, plant milkweed, create ‘waystations’

This season I enjoyed a plethora of butterflies in my yard and garden, mostly the beautiful tiger and eastern black swallowtails. The feeling seemed to be reciprocated, as they drank the nectar from my flowers and their larvae (caterpillars) chomped down on my dill and parsley. But one species was conspicuously absent – there were no monarchs.

Male monarch butterfly (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

I am a native and heirloom plant enthusiast, and I have always planted to attract pollinators. But I had not realized that although the adult monarchs drink nectar from a variety of flowers, milkweed is the sole host plant for laying their eggs and feeding their larvae. And I had not planted any Asclepias sp. (milkweed) on the property!

Then I read Barbara Kingsolver’s book Flight Behavior. It is a fictional account but whet my appetite to learn more about the unique, and fragile, life cycle of the monarch butterfly. Monarchs go through four generations each year. The first three hatch and live for about six weeks, but the fourth lives for up to eight months to facilitate migration.

Female monarch butterfly (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Monarchs cannot tolerate cold weather, so as the temperature drops in autumn, those living in the eastern half of North America migrate to southcentral Mexico to hibernate in oyamel fir trees (always in the same trees, even though a new fourth generation migrates 2,500 miles each year). In the spring, they begin working their way north again, back to the milkweed plants that sustain them.

Unfortunately, herbicide and pesticide use is eradicating the native milkweed in the United States, and their overwintering sites are threatened as development encroaches on the fir forests in Mexico. We can help save this endangered species by planting Monarch Waystations – sites that provide resources necessary for monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their migration. You can register your waystation through MonarchWatch.org.

My friend, Joanna Kirby, president of the Garden Club of Kentucky, has made this a focal project for her term. They have partnered with Wild Ones to promote Monarch Waystations in gardens, at homes, at county extension offices, at libraries and at schools. The commissioner of state parks and our state naturalist are also on board.

To qualify, in the spring or fall, plant at least 10 milkweed plants – preferably two species, including the common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), and another native varieties such as butterfly milkweed (A. tuberosa) or swamp milkweed (A. incarnata) as well as native nectar plants, such as black eyed susan, purple coneflower or coreopsis.

Being pesticide-free is crucial because these are food plants for butterflies and other wildlife. Native plants can be purchased from local nurseries such as Springhouse Gardens, Shooting Star Nursury, Michler’s and Locust Trace AgriScience Farm. For more information, visit WildOnes.org.

As Halloween approaches, I am preparing the garden area for my monarch waystation, but I am taking my mission one step further. My costume this year is – what else – a monarch butterfly with a sign that reads: “I’m Endangered – Plant Milkweed for Me!”

Deborah Larkin joined Greensource in 2010 as an environmental educator. She works with numerous schools in Fayette County as part of Greensource’s partnership with LFUCG and is responsible for outreach activities in Boyle, Clark, Garrard and Lincoln counties. She received her bachelor’s in Horticulture from the University of Kentucky. Before coming to Greensource, Larkin worked for 27 years at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, near Harrodsburg, where she researched and re-established the 19th century apple orchard, herb garden and heirloom seed industry.

This article appeared in KY Forward on October 24, 2013.

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Nature – not pop culture – is top of mind in this children’s reading list

I am a self-proclaimed nerdy mom. Maybe not the glasses-and-pocket-protectors-type nerd (I just had LASIK!), but definitely the looking-under-rocks-to-see-what-fun-bugs-we-can-find kind. One of my favorite PBS Kids shows is Wild Kratts about all of the special powers various animals have and how those powers can defeat the bad guys.

Somehow, however, my oldest daughter has become obsessed with “new fashion” and pop music, not to mention the fact that she is still extremely interested in the Disney princesses.

Audrey is 6 years old (6 and a half if you ask her). I blame day care for her initial indoctrination to the princesses. Sure, I knew who Cinderella and Snow White were, but some of the more “obscure” princesses such as Sleeping Beauty were a mystery to me. Disney characters (and Elmo too, if we are being honest) have to be designed to do nothing but suck in unsuspecting toddlers and make them forever fans and turn their parents to mush when it comes to attempting to teach anything but waiting for Prince Charming and magic wands.

I have to admit that I have been officially sucked in. The biggest evidence of this was our trip to Disneyland last spring, where my heart melted when Audrey met Tinkerbell, Ariel, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty (I now know her whole story and even call her by her princess name – Aurora).

But there are smaller admissions of my caving to popular culture. For example, when my youngest daughter turned 1, I let Audrey pick out anything she thought Eleanor would like. She picked out “Little People Princesses,” something I would have NEVER allowed to enter my house with my first child.

So I am not sure I can fully articulate my distaste in frilly girly things that my 6 year old covets. Princesses are easy to hate because they embody everything from “let the man rescue me” to “women are only good for housecleaning and singing,” neither of which I was ever good at. I do know that most of my distaste comes from the fact that I never liked them as a little girl – there were always much more interesting things to capture my attention.

Since I grew up in the ’80s and we were allowed to run all over creation with no supervision and barely a curfew, maybe it was easier for me to have expanded horizons. I remember throwing dirt on stink bugs to watch their butts rise in defense. I grew up near a giant park with dirt running trails and trees, and many, many ways to spend the entire day without a thought of television.

Even as I grew to a teenager, pop culture was a bit of a mystery and I gravitated to the more alternative genres; probably because I was intimidated by keeping up with the latest anything. I liked knowing music and movies no one else did so I did not have to be up to date with the billboard top 10. My daughter on the other hand, immediately suctions on to anything her friends are doing and is currently obsessed with pop icon Katy Perry.

I have to admit that I do not hate Katy Perry. For the first time in my life I have found myself a bit shocked at song lyrics, but generally Katy has an upbeat rhythm and fun songs. My 1-year-old even dances next to the television when we play the YouTube video of Katy Perry on Sesame Street.

I guess I have to just make sure that I infuse my own “green” interests in my daughter as much as possible as long as I still can. If any of you are facing the same issues, here is a list of my nature/not-pop-culture reading plan for Audrey. I hope it works!

1. There is a Hair in my Dirt, a Worm’s Story by Gary Larson — This should be on everyone’s reading shelf.

2. Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel – this is a staple in Greensource’s education library and a favorite by students who like to dress up as their new favorite superhero.

3. Girls Who Looked Under Rocks: The Lives of Six Pioneering Naturalists by Jeannine Atkins — follows Jane Goodall, Rachel Carson and more as they learn they have the power to make a difference.

4. Fancy Nancy: Every Day is Earth Day by Jane O’Connor – Nancy learns that even though green is not her favorite color, it is easy to make small changes that can make a difference.

5. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff – This is a great book to start a conversation about consumerism.

6. 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth by Sophie Javna – This is a great starting point to help young kids feel empowered.

7. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss – This one is pretty obvious, but I wanted to include it just in case it has missed someone’s shelf.

8. The Magic School Bus by Joanna Cole – There are many of these that help kids understand how nature works.

9. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein – This book describes how trees help us in many ways.

10. Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? by Carmella LaVigna Coyle – reading this you learn that princesses do play in trees and have bad hair days just like you.

Audrey likes many of these books, and I hope to continue finding more as she gets older. Next I will have to see if she disowns me after I show her a Katy Perry parody video about insects – “Baby, You’re an Arthropod,” as seen here. Wish me luck!

1 Amy-Sohner

Amy Sohner is executive director of Greensource and a graduate of the University of Kentucky in Natural Resource Conservation and Management. Sohner has worked with Greensource since its inception in 2002 and is a Certified Environmental Educator. She is involved with the Kentucky Environmental Literacy Alliance, the Bluegrass Rain Garden Alliance, the Licking and Kentucky River Basin Teams, and serves as vice-chair of the Keep Lexington Beautiful Commission. Sohner lives near the Kentucky River palisades with her husband, two daughters and a multitude of pets.

This article appeared in KY Forward on October 17, 2013.

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When it comes to taking care of the environment, every little bit helps

Before working at Bluegrass Greensource, I truly felt I was doing my part in reducing my carbon footprint and I encouraged my family to do the same. We recycled our paper, glass and cans every week. We used our reusable grocery bags — as much as we could actually remember to bring them into the store. We tried to reduce our waste by using reusable containers instead of plastic food storage bags. We used some green products like environmental friendly laundry detergent and cleaners. We even programmed our thermostat for when we weren’t at home. All of this made me feel like I was really doing something for the environment.

Then I started working at Bluegrass Greensource.

It was intimidating to think of what I may be doing wrong and not doing enough of. The day before I officially started, I remember wondering what I should wear? Will everyone be wearing hemp clothing and Birkenstocks? Will everyone be a vegetarian and only eat organic food and drive electric cars?

Luckily, Executive Director Amy Sohner eased my nerves. She said, “we encourage people to make small changes, not restructure their whole lives. Every little bit helps the environment. Be realistic in what you can do.” Wow, what a relief!

1 fog Screen shot 2013-10-09 at 1.25

With that message, I have been motivated to step up my efforts. This summer, my husband and I installed a rain barrel at our home. Ironically, it stopped raining soon after, but no matter, we have used what water we have captured to save our flower boxes.

Next spring, I will look into adding some native plants to our landscape. I like the idea that they need fewer fertilizers and pesticides to grow and thrive. Plus, their water needs are more compatible with the local climate.

Inside our home, we’ve made more small changes. Before starting at BGGS, I thought FOG was suspended water in the atmosphere that made driving difficult. I didn’t know it really stood for Fats, Oils, and Grease and the picture above shows the effect it has on our pipes and drains.

Imagine what all your neighbors might be pouring down their drains. Can you envision the cumulative impact in the pipes on your street? My disgust has motivated me to encourage everyone I know to put a can with a lid under the sink to collect their FOG and keep it out of the drain.

1 131007 KyForward Article

Speaking of the community, I never really noticed storm drains like the one shown here until I started working for Greensource. And now I see them everywhere! I see some painted, some not. Some filled with trash, some with leaves.

Do you know where all the trash in the storm drains goes? To our local streams. Think of what an impact we could have on the quality of our water and streams if we all took responsibility for our own litter and pick it up when we see litter from others. Do you know that if everyone in Lexington committed to picking up two pieces of litter per day, we would have 610,978 fewer pieces of litter in our area each day?

My family and I will never be Ed Begley Jr. and live completely off the grid. That’s just not realistic for us. I do know that every day we are taking steps, small steps, to be kinder to our environment. I know that in my lifetime, I will make a difference, one step at a time, and I will have passed this commitment on to my children.

If you are interested in making small green changes in your life, contact Bluegrass Greensource to learn more at 859-266-1572 or email us at info@bgreensource.org.

Chris Clabes photo

Chris Clabes is the development and public relations coordinator at Bluegrass Greensource. Before joining Greensource, Chris worked as a consultant for numerous nonprofit organizations across the state, including the formation of Kentucky Philanthropy Initiative and Gov. Beshear’s Commission on Philanthropy. She was Kentucky 4-H Foundation’s executive director and served as the director of finance for the National Association of Home Builders’ Political Action Committee in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky.

This article appeared in KY Forward on October 10, 2013.

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Mark your calendar: Lexington Green Breakfast is November 6th

Lexington Green Breakfast

The 43rd Annual Green Breakfast, Lexington’s longest running environmental awareness event, will be held on Wednesday, November 6th from 7:30 am at the E.S. Good Barn on the UK campus.

Help celebrate Lexington’s unique heritage and bright future by honoring those who have fostered conservation, sustainability and awareness over the past year.

Enjoy a delicious, locally sourced breakfast prepared by UK Ag. Hear from community leaders how Lexington is responding to environmental challenges and opportunities.

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, admission to this event is free of charge for the first 100 people who register at www.LexingtonGreenBreakfast.eventbrite.com.

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October Newsletter

An example of a rain garden, located at Spring House  Gardens, Nicholasville, Ky.

Rain Garden Workshop Coming to Bourbon County on Saturday

Bluegrass Greensource is hosting the last rain garden workshop for the fall on October 19th at the Bourbon County Library in Paris. The workshop is free and open to the public, thanks to the generous support of a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under §319(h) of the Clean Water Act.  If  you are interested in attending the workshop, register at: 

https://bourboncoraingardenworkshop.eventbrite.com/.

For more information, click here.


Image courtesy of Snohomish Health District
Image courtesy of Snohomish Health District

Septic Care

Workshop Coming Soon

Did you know that a failing septic system can require expensive repairs, pose a health risk to your family, and have negative impacts on water quality? Bluegrass Greensource is hosting a free septic system care workshop on Tuesday, November 5th from 6 – 7 PM at Maywoods Environmental and Educational Laboratory near Crab Orchard, KY.  

Click here for more information.


KAW logo

Bringing Water Conservation Education to Local Businesses

For the past two months, Kentucky American Water has been partnering with Bluegrass Greensource on water conservation and quality presentations throughout Bourbon, Clark, Owen, Scott, and Woodford counties. The presentations highlighted different ways people can conserve water at work, at home and in their yard.  Did you know the average dishwasher uses 40-55 gallons of water per cycle? Did you know


Zero Waste Recycle graphicHaving a Zero-Waste Event

Just Got Easier

 

Are you planning an event and would like to reduce waste? Bluegrass Greensource can help! We now have a Zero Waste Guide that can help with your waste reduction plan, each step of the way, from recycling to composting.  In addition, are you looking for a fun way to volunteer to help community events reduce their waste?  Find out more...


Dupree Sign photo

Creating Educational Opportunities at Dupree Nature Reserve

It is not every day one gets to be part of a project with the potential to impact generations. In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy of Lexington, Bluegrass Greensource was invited to create educational programming for the region’s newest nature preserve. The Dupree Nature Preserve in Garrard County opened to the public on October 5, 2013 and was a project years in the making… 

 


 

 

Resource Library photoWanted: Teachers/Educators to Check Out our Buckets!

Greensource has a vast library of buckets available for check out through our office. Perhaps you want to teach about animals, camouflage and nocturnal vs. diurnal. Our Animal Pelts bucket would be perfect for that!  That bucket includes native animal pelts from central Kentucky. Beaver, white tailed deer, grey squirrel are just some of the pelts included in this bucket.  Click here for more details

 

For the latest green information in Central Kentucky, “Like” us on our Facebook page Bluegrass Greensource or follow us on Twitter @BluegrassGreensource.  If you have any questions or comments about this issue, please contact us at info@bggreensource.org.

                                             

                  

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Wanted: Educators to Check Out our Buckets!

Resource Library photo

Bluegrass Greensource has a vast library of buckets available for check out through our office. Perhaps you want to teach about animals, camouflage and nocturnal vs. diurnal. Our Animal Pelts bucket would be perfect for that! That bucket includes native animal pelts from central Kentucky, such as beavers, white-tailed deer, and grey squirrels.

Another popular resource library item is the Soils bucket, which is designed to introduce students to soil science and to investigate the characteristics of soil in a given place. Activities in this bucket examine various aspects of soil quality from nutrient composition to plant presence. Finally, soil testing tools from this bucket allow students to explore soils firsthand.

All the buckets are available for check out for up to two weeks. If you are interested, contact Michelle at michelle@bgGreensource.org or (859) 266-1572.

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Creating Educational Opportunities for the Dupree Nature Preserve

Dupree Sign photo

It is not every day one gets to be part of a project with the potential to impact generations. In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy of Lexington, Bluegrass Greensource was invited to create educational programming for the region’s newest nature preserve. The Dupree Nature Preserve in Garrard County opened to the public on October 5, 2013 and was a project years in the making. Named after the family of Thomas P. Dupree, Sr., the preserve will honor Mr. Dupree’s desire to conserve the land for future generations of children. Creating a space for children to learn about nature in a hands-on, experiential way is important to Mr. Dupree who credits his own love of nature with time he spent hiking and camping as a child in Harlan County, KY.

Three groups of school children from Garrard County had the chance to explore the preserve and work with Bluegrass Greensource educators during an Outdoor Day, sponsored by Toyota. The fourth-graders learned about watersheds and water quality, karst geology, topographical mapping, orienteering, and forestry. Many of the children were delighted to see Daniel Boone, who had once laid claim to the area, make an “appearance” complete in period costume to discuss the region’s history and guide them in raft-building. The next Outdoor Day of education is planned for October 18.

Dupree Daniel Boone photo

Bluegrass Greensource’s outreach specialist researched and provided written materials about the history of the land, Mr. Dupree Sr., and the preserve scavenger hunt; as well as contributed QR codes for the trail signs. Preserve Monitor Kenneth Brooks assisted in the writing of the land parcel’s history and shared key facts. For instance, in addition to Daniel Boone’s early claims to the land in 1767, the proximity to the river in what is now called Polly’s Bend made it a great site for a ferry. By 1790, a ferry was operational and vital in transporting produce, tobacco, bourbon, corn, pork, and hemp along the Kentucky River.

Dupree Kids learning photo

To visit the preserve, use the address: 2991 Polly’s Bend Road, Lancaster, KY, 40444 in order to map directions.

For additional coverage of the Dupree Nature Preserve, see the following:

The Nature Conservancy’s site:
http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/kentucky/placesweprotect/dupree-nature-preserve-profile.xml

Herald Leader article by Tom Eblen:
http://www.kentucky.com/2013/09/28/2849096/tom-eblen-new-300-acre-preserve.html

Tom Eblen’s other article from his blog:
http://tomeblen.bloginky.com/2013/09/29/the-gift-of-nature-new-preserve-showcases-palisades-ecology/

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Having a Zero Waste Event Just Got Easier

Zero Waste Recycle graphic

Are you planning an event and would like to reduce waste? Bluegrass Greensource can help! We now have a Zero Waste Guide that can help you reduce waste each step of the way, from recycling to composting.  In addition, if you are in Fayette County, you can check out “dual stream” waste containers to place at key locations around your event, and help you find support staff for your zero waste initiative through our newly formed “Zero Waste Team”.  And of course, if you are outside of Fayette County, or just don’t feel prepared to start composting at your event, we are happy to help you with recycling as well.

Are you looking for a fun way to volunteer to help reduce waste from community events? Join our Zero Waste Team listserve.  When we get a request for support for a zero waste initiative at a local event, we’ll send a message out to the listserve to find people who want to help.  It’s a great way to support community events and environmental stewardship while having fun!

To talk about options for your event, please contact Schuyler Warren at schuyler@bggreensource.org.  For volunteer opportunities, please contact Pattie Stivender at pattie@bggreensource.org.

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Bringing Water Conservation Education to Local Businesses

KAW logo

For the past two months, Kentucky American Water has been partnering with Bluegrass Greensource on water conservation and quality presentations throughout Bourbon, Clark, Owen, Scott, and Woodford counties. The presentations highlighted different ways people can conserve water at work, at home and in their yard.

Did you know the average dishwasher uses 40-55 gallons of water per cycle?  Did you know that 13.7% of the water “used” in the average home actually comes from leaks?

Participants learned about average water usages in the home, including many common appliances.  They learned ways to save water, including turning off the faucet as you brush your teeth or only washing dishes when the dishwasher is full.   Out in the yard, utilizing rain barrels and rain gardens can not only capture water to utilize in your landscaping, but can also prevent runoff from collecting chemicals and litter and depositing it in the local streams. At work, it’s important to incorporate water conservation into new hire training, as it is not only good for the environment, but also can save the business money.

A wide variety of organizations and businesses participated, including:  Scott County Extension, Full Circle Market in Winchester, Owen County Library, Life Adventure Center of the Bluegrass, Leadership Scott County, KCTCS, Bourbon County YMCA, Owen County Rotary Club, Woodford County Extension and the Woodford County Library.

Bluegrass Greensource offers many resources including water audit kits that can be used at home to identify potential wasted water.  By working to conserve water, not only can businesses and individuals save money, but they can help the environment as well.

For more information and resources, contact Ryan Farley at ryan@bggreensource.org.

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Septic System Care Workshop Coming Soon

Image courtesy of Snohomish Health District
Image courtesy of Snohomish Health District

Did you know that a failing septic system can require expensive repairs, pose a health risk to your family, and have negative impacts on water quality? Bluegrass Greensource is hosting a free septic system care workshop on Tuesday, November 5th from 6 – 7 PM at Maywoods Environmental and Educational Laboratory near Crab Orchard, KY.

Participants will learn about local watersheds and water quality, as well as septic system care and how to identify problems. Additionally, residents of the Maywoods area who attend the workshop may be eligible to receive a free pumpout or a cost-share grant for system repairs.

Light refreshments will be provided. Please call (859) 266-1572 or email sandy@bggreensource.org to register!

The workshop is the first of a series of septic system care workshops and water quality outreach events to be held in Boyle, Garrard, and Lincoln Counties over a three-year period. This program is funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act.

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