The City of Charlotte recently partnered with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) on two unique opportunities to educate students and beautify neighborhoods. First, second graders visited the Landscape Management division’s office building out on Tuckaseegee Road for an interactive field trip about pollination. The following week, Landscape Management joined forces with Corridors of Opportunity and Keep Charlotte Beautiful on the “Spring Greening” project, which involved planting brand-new pollinator gardens on five CMS school campuses over Spring Break this year.
So, naturally, we had to ask… Why pollinators? Why schools? Why now?
Charlotte, North Carolina has been an affiliate of Bee City USA since March 13, 2023, when the Charlotte City Council passed a resolution to join 23 other N.C. towns and cities in their commitment to support pollinators. Bee City USA is a national program that recognizes, supports, and encourages pollinator conservation at the local level. Since joining, Charlotte has been intentionally committed to educating the public about the importance of pollinators, enhancing pollinator habitats with designated gardens, and reducing the use of pesticides where pollinators are prevalent. Much of this work is conducted through the Charlotte Bee City USA Committee, a subcommittee of Keep Charlotte Beautiful.
Although planting gardens on city property and reducing pesticide use is important, the most long-lasting and far-reaching approach to supporting pollinators is through education. “While a single person or small group can create immense change, they can only do so with the support of others,” explained Bee City USA. “To have a significant impact you must inspire others to take similar steps to protect and support pollinators. Bee City USA encourages individuals to create change in their own sphere while also educating, engaging, and inspiring others to do the same.”
Jonathan Hill, executive director of Keep Charlotte Beautiful.
If education is essential to supporting pollinators, it only makes sense to go straight to the source: schools. Since the N.C. state curriculum includes a focus on pollinators for all second-grade students, a partnership with CMS seemed inevitable. Now, the Spring Greening gardens are just one of several projects the City of Charlotte has launched to give students a hands-on learning experience. This one, however, came with a $10,000 donation from Lowe’s and 92 hours of volunteer gardening. Over 3,000 native, perennial pollinator plants were planted between West Charlotte High School, Druid Hills Academy, Reid Park Academy, Esperanza Global Academy, and Hidden Valley Elementary. Each garden site is a low-maintenance, prairie-style design that should provide a colorful outdoor learning opportunity for years to come.
“The students of today are the environmental leaders of tomorrow,” said Jonathan Hill, Executive Director of Keep Charlotte Beautiful. “These gardens will make a lasting impact for environmental education in the schools and communities beyond.”
Whether it’s a visit to the pollinator garden on your school’s campus or a field trip to the Landscape Management office to learn about how pollination works, it’s safe to say that the future of Charlotte’s pollinators is in good hands thanks to these valuable community partnerships.
Want to learn more about these recent events? Check out our videos: