Foraging Class covered by Rivertowns Enterprise! Read it here. 

Let's Talk Pollinators on May 11

Learn about local pollinator projects and what you can do in your own garden on Thursday, May 11, at 7 pm, at South Presbyterian Church, 343 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry. The free event is cosponsored by Sustainable Dobbs Ferry and Roots & Wings.

The Pollinator Pathway is a patchwork of native flowering plants—from meadows to window boxes—that provide habitat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects and wildlife. “Much of our food depends on the work of these pollinators,” said Roubi Eliopoulos and Tess McDade, two Dobbs Ferry residents who are organizing Dobbs Ferry’s chapter of the Pollinator Pathway.

“Dobbs Ferry is the 37th village in Westchester to join the Pollinator Pathway,” said Filippine Hoogland, co-founder of Healthy Yards, the organizing force of the Pollinator Pathway. Neighboring villages of Ardsley, Hastings and Irvington have already organized a chapter; each is a resource for residents and a connection to other pollinator-friendly villages in our region.

The May 11 kickoff in Dobbs Ferry includes a presentation from Carol Sommerfield, the chair of the Ardsley Pollinator Pathway Committee, on the joys of a pollinator garden. “It touches our hearts and souls,” said Sommerfield. “We become part of the cycle of nature – there’s a rhythm that draws us in.”

 

It also introduces the people behind several private and public pollinator gardens in Dobbs Ferry, including:

• Nancy Delmerico and Kathryn Slocum, members of the Friends of Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park, which has created a beautiful landscape of native plants along the Hudson River
• Joanna Rock, a homeowner who incorporates more native wildflowers and flowering perennials into her garden each season
• Mickey Mossaidis, a native plants enthusiast who has helped source and distribute over 20,000 native plants in the Rivertowns and beyond
• Roubi Eliopoulos and Iris Hiskey Arno, gardeners with Roots & Wings, the sustainable initiative of South Church, who mix flowers and vegetables on the Church’s campus 

The message the Dobbs Ferry Pollinator Pathway has for residents: “We can all participate!” Find encouragement and tips on what you can do in your yard, on your patio and in our village.