Last week was National Pollinator Week, and Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (OG&E) teamed up with several community partners to promote the health and protection of pollinators like honeybees, butterflies and small birds in our communities.
One OG&E sponsored initiative gives Oklahoma library card holders a chance to earn free tickets to the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden through the Zoo’s Read for Adventure program.
To teach young Oklahomans the importance of pollinators, the Read for Adventure program encourages children and families to visit a participating Oklahoma public or tribal library and check out the children’s book, Juniper’s Butterfly Garden—A Small Start for a Better World. The book teaches children about monarch butterflies and shows them how they can do their part to protect this pollinator and its natural habitat. Upon returning the book to the library, children will receive a voucher redeemable for free general admission to the OKC Zoo for up to four people.
“In 20 years, the monarch butterfly population has declined by 90% because of habitat loss,” said Rebecca Snyder, senior director of conservation, education, and science at the OKC Zoo. “OG&E’s sponsorship of this program helps young Oklahomans learn about the vital role of pollinators in our environment and how protecting them is a united effort. Monarchs visit Oklahoma every spring and fall, and with the help of partnerships like these, we can provide a safe home as they travel through our state.”
The program highlights the need for conservation action for monarch butterflies, a critical species in sharp decline. Read for Adventure helps Oklahomans take simple steps to preserve this key pollinator – like planting a pollinator habitat in their own gardens.
“Small steps like planting a garden can have a significant impact for pollinators,” said Lindsay Laird, manager of community outreach at OG&E. “We hope that by highlighting the critical role of monarchs and other pollinators through OG&E’s partnership with the Oklahoma City Zoo, children and their families can begin to do their part to protect the vulnerable pollinator populations that are so critical to our environment and food sources.”
In addition to Read for Adventure, OG&E is partnering with Esperanza Elementary to build a pollinator way station, intentionally managed land that provides food and habitat for pollinator populations. Student and parent volunteers will work together to assemble the way station next to a community garden at the school with the help of OG&E employees. As pollinators migrate in search of habitats, the new way stations will provide respite in the middle of the city, illustrating easy ways to make a positive impact on our environment. At the event, children will receive seed packets to plant flowers in their own yards and gardens or in community gardens. OG&E has built several way stations over the years and currently maintains 35-40 acres of pollinator habitats.
This spring, OG&E also gave away free pollinator seed kits at community events across the service area for community members to plant their own pollinator gardens. Even small pollinator gardens help these vulnerable pollinator populations and are a great way for anyone to contribute to conserving their ecosystems.
Support and preservation of pollinators and their habitats is just one of OG&E’s many environmental stewardship efforts. For more information about OG&E’s conservation efforts, visit oge.com/environmentalstewardship.
Source: OGE release