Why and How to Build a Pollination Preservation Garden

A Presentation by Giancarla Kalpas of The Bumblebee Project

When: March 27, 2024, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Duration: 1 hour presentation with Q&A welcome afterwards
Program Type: In-person and Zoom (email the District Administrator below for Zoom Link after registration if you wish to attend virtually)
Where: J.V. Fletcher Library
50 Main Street
Westford, MA 01886
Cost: Free, Registration Preferred
Speakers: Giancarla Kalpas of The Bumblebee Project

Giancarla Kalpas’s Bio:
From an early age Giancarla developed a love for growing plants when visiting the gardens that her grandmothers and aunts kept.

Giancarla moved to Chelmsford in 1978 with her husband Ray and there they raised their family. Soon she started planting many flowers and shrubs in her home garden. At first, she planted anything that was available. As she learned the importance of native plants she has totally overhauled her home garden, removed invasives, added more and more native plants needed by pollinators in decline.

Giancarla is a retired math and science teacher. She is affectionately known locally as the “Bluebird Lady” because of the work she has done for over three decades to bring back the Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis).

Giancarla is an enthusiastic promoter of the Bumblebee Project mission, is a member of the Steering Committee and an Ambassador for Chelmsford. 

She loves spending time outdoors and is eager to share what she has learned about native pollinators at risk and what we can do to restore pollination systems.

Description of the Event:
During this presentation you will hear how one person, after learning about the mission of the Bumblebee Project, to conserve native pollination systems by providing the specific habitats required by at-risk pollinators–and to reduce the threats to those pollinators–in the 36 communities of the Metrowest Conservation Alliance (MCA), made the decision to become an Ambassador in her town. She built a Pollination Preservation Garden which includes over 80 species of native plants that support pollinators at risk and was rewarded by the appearance in the garden of the two bumble bees at risk in our state, just one year from planting.

You will learn that what we plant makes a difference. You will be inspired by this and other success stories to do all you can to preserve species from extinction and preserve biodiversity in your town, on private and public lands. 

This work is based on the research and recommendations of Dr. Robert Gegear, Professor at UMass Dartmouth and founder of The Beecology Project. You can find more information about his research on his website: ​https://gegearlab.weebly.com

or:

Contact:

Andrea Grossman, District Administrator, at 978-303-8272 or email admin@middlesexconservationdistrict.org

This event is co-sponsored by the Middlesex Conservation District, Sudbury Valley Trustees, MCA, and The Bumblebee Project.

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