On Saturday, September 13th, the city hosted a volunteer prairie and bee lawn planting at city hall in partnership with Great River Greening. The weather was perfect, and we had the help of 47 rock star volunteers made up of WSP families, and members of Xcel Energy’s annual volunteer day of service.
West St. Paul’s Environmental Committee Chair, Josh Przybyliski shares his experience volunteering with his son, “I heard about this opportunity through my role on the city’s environmental committee. I was especially excited both for a chance to get my hands in the dirt and to share the experience with my son... When we got in the car after we finished, my son let out a big, satisfied sigh and said ‘That was a lot of fun!’ I’m going to cherish that for a long time... Strong communities thrive on participation. When you volunteer for things like this, you’re not just making a difference in a limited way. You’re helping to maintain and strengthen our social fabric at a time when so many forces are trying to tear it apart.”
Volunteers planted 1,320 plugs, including 34 native pollinator plant species, into the front hillside along Wentworth and Humboldt Ave. That’s an average of 28 plants per person! They also seeded 0.4 acres (80 lbs!) of a bee lawn seed mix on to the upper hillside area.
The turf to prairie and bee lawn restoration has converted low quality turf grass into a diverse, functional pollinator habitat starting in 2023.
Deep-rooted native perennial plants offer blooming flowers throughout the growing season, provide erosion control, and filter pollutants, providing cleaner air and water for years to come.
Be sure to stop by city hall throughout next spring, summer, and fall to see the hard work of these volunteers pay off!