Norman to celebrate Pollinator Week with tours, webinars, volunteer activities and more

The Environmental Services Division of the City of Norman has coordinated with community partners to plan a week of activities for the community in celebration of 2022 Pollinator Week, set to be observed nationwide June 20-26.

 

During Pollinator Week, awareness is raised for pollinators – creatures such as bees, bats, birds and butterflies – that carry pollen from plant to plant to help fertilize and grow them, ultimately benefiting human life and development. Of the 1,400 crop plants grown around the world, almost 80 percent require pollination by animals.

 

Activities of the week will include the following:

 

MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2022

  • 10 a.m. | Prairie Creek Park, 2025 Pendleton Drive: Scott Peake, Oklahoma Monarch Migration Foundation member, will lead a tour of milkweed plantings.

 

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2022

  • 6:30 p.m. | Norman Public Library Central, 103 W. Acres Street: Volunteer event to help weed the library’s gardens in anticipation of another Pollinator Week event at the library on Sunday.

 

  • Noon | Virtual Event: Dr. James Hung, Assistant Professor, Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory & Oklahoma Biological Survey, will lead a Webinar entitled, “Fantastic Bees and How to Save Them.” The event will also introduce a bee photographic contest led by Dr. Hung whereby participants can share their photos of bees to use for conservation and monitoring efforts. The event will be livestreamed through normanok.gov.

 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2022

  • 6:30 p.m. | Norman Public Library Central, 103 W. Acres Street: Volunteer event to help weed the library’s gardens in anticipation of another Pollinator Week event at the library on Sunday.

 

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022

  • 7 p.m. | Eastwood Park, 1001 S. Ponca Avenue: Sierra Club and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will lead tour of pollinator garden and discuss ways to make landscapes pollinator-friendly.

 

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2022

  • 8:45 p.m. | Saxon Park, 3016 36th Avenue SE: Zach DuFran, Moth Team Naturalist, for the Oklahoma Biological Survey, will lead a moth ID walk.

 

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2022

  • 10 a.m. | Prairie Creek Park, 2025 Pendleton Drive: Weed and See at the new pollinator/rain garden installed as part of Green Norman Eco Month, and then lend a hand picking up trash!

 

  • 2 p.m. | Saxon Park, 3016 36th Avenue SE: Dr. James Hung of the University of Oklahoma will lead a Bee Walk at Saxon Park.

 

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2022

  • 1 p.m. | Norman Public Library Central, 103 W. Acres Street: Amy Buthod, Heritage Botanist for Okahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, will lead a pollinator tour of the library gardens.

 

Each event is free and open to all. Any significant news or updates regarding events will be posted to normanok.gov and City of Norman social media pages.

 

“We are looking forward to a week of fun activities and events that will share great guidance and insight into helping take care of the pollinators that take care of us,” said Michele Loudenback, Environmental and Sustainability Manager at the City of Norman. “We appreciate the support and partnership of all of the agencies that have come together to make this happen.”

 

Mayor Breea Clark presented a proclamation at a Norman City Council meeting acknowledging the observance and importance of Pollinator Week on June 14.

 

This year’s Pollinator Week theme is “Wings of Life.” Resources, tool kits, additional information and limited-edition T-shirts are available at https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator-week. Questions regarding upcoming Norman events can be directed to 405.292.9731.

 

 

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