Bird Sanctuary Receives Grant for the Pollinator Garden!

The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) Region 4 recently announced its Interpretive Project Grant Award Winners, and is pleased to report W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary is among the 2014 recipients.

The Interpretive Project Grants (IPG) program is designed to provide a source of funding for small projects by Association members within the Great Lakes region including Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Ontario.

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary’s project – Kellogg Bird Sanctuary Pollinator Garden – will update the existing Pollinator Garden and bring more diverse, native plants to supplemental garden areas including a water garden, xeriscape garden and rain garden. According to grant applicants Kara Haas and Kimberly Ginn of the Sanctuary, “the educational goal of this garden exhibit is to communicate the importance of native Michigan plants and the birds, bees and butterflies that pollinate them.”

Plants, such as this Maximilian Sunflower, support pollinators including birds and insects.

“It is always interesting and enlightening for the Committee to see all of the wonderful projects underway in Region 4 – we have very passionate and creative members in our region,” said Jennifer McDowell, Chair of the Interpretive Project Grants Committee. “Congratulations to the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary for emphasizing the importance of native plants and their delicate role in the ecosystem. Engaging visitors about the value of these plants as native caterpillar host plants, or unique food sources to migrating birds creates a connection that will likely encourage planting native species to create wildlife sanctuaries in their own backyards.”

Grant funds will help produce educational signs about this bee condo.