Tuesday, Apr 9, 2019

The Michigan Nature Association recently received a grant from the Wildflower Association of Michigan (WAM) to help expand native landscaping at the office location shared by MNA, Michigan Audubon, and others.

"We are thrilled to receive a grant from WAM. We are striving to establish a landscape that is bird, bee, and pollinator friendly, one that supports the conservation missions of our respective organizations," said Julie Stoneman, Director of Outreach and Education for MNA. "It will help us add more native gardens at our office, expanding an initiative we started in partnership with Michigan Audubon to transform conventional, office park landscaping at our co-located space in Okemos, Michigan."

Stoneman further explained that the WAM grant will help create gardens that correlate with the Michigan Native Garden Design: For the Birds booklet published by Michigan Audubon to encourage and inspire gardens and landscapes that provide food and shelter for birds. The gardens will serve as an education and demonstration site that will be incorporated into education workshops for the public on gardening with native plants.

If we help birds, we also help other pollinators like bees and butterflies, Stoneman also explained. "Our pollinator populations are struggling, including the rapid decline of some that were once very common," she said. "With our office landscape, we are bringing more nectar resources to help these beneficial insects while creating an aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance landscape that we hope inspires both individuals and businesses to do the same."

Other partners in the landscaping project include design and technical assistance from Hartscapes LLC, and donated plant signs from District IIB of the Michigan Garden Clubs, Inc. "We are very excited to include WAM as a partner in this initiative," Stoneman concluded.