Pollinator Grants Offered to High Schools

Sand County Foundation is now accepting applications from high school teachers for pollinator habitat grants.

This competitive grant program gives Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin high school students hands-on experience growing native wildflowers and establishing habitat for imperiled insect pollinators and monarch butterflies.

Successful applications will receive prairie seeds and seedlings, a consultation, and $1,000 to support project expenses. The deadline to apply is Nov. 18. To apply, visit www.sandcountyfoundation.org/SchoolGrants.

Insect pollinators are essential for crop pollination and ecological diversity. In recent years their numbers are low partly due to loss of native wildflower habitat, especially in the agricultural landscape.

"Students will germinate and grow native plants over the winter, and plant them outside in the spring as an experiential learning opportunity," said Haley Diem, Sand County Foundation school grant program coordinator. "We encourage applicants to partner with landowners to establish pollinator habitat on agricultural and other working lands."

Pollinator habitat grant program sponsors include: Syngenta, Enel Green Power North America Inc., Monarch Joint Venture, U.S. Forest Service International Programs, Wisconsin Public Service Foundation, and We Energies Foundation.

In addition to the grant program, teachers can access a Pollinator Habitat Curriculum Guide. Aligned with state and national education standards, the guide's activities engage students in planning, establishing, managing and monitoring prairie habitat. The guide is available for free download at https://bit.ly/2JHdq1u.

Sand County Foundation is a national non-profit that champions voluntary conservation practices by farmers and ranchers to improve soil, water and wildlife habitat.