CTDOT Press Releases
06/17/2024
CTDOT Highlights Expanded Pollinator Program During National Pollinator Week
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is highlighting ongoing efforts to help pollinators thrive during National Pollinator Week (June 17-23). The CTDOT Pollinator Program was implemented in 2017 at eight sites encompassing roughly 10 acres and today has grown to 139 conservation areas comprised of approximately 240 acres of state property. The goal of the Pollinator Program is to provide critical habitats for pollinating insects, such as bees and monarch butterflies, through strategic seeding operations and vegetation management, such as intentional reduced mowing.
The CTDOT pollinator corridors are marked with special conservation area signage and consist of warm season grasses, native wildflowers, and low-growing vegetation. They bloom in late June and continue through the summer months. Some examples of plants found in conservation areas include milkweed, goldenrod, joe pye weed, and aster. Varying species with staggered bloom times promotes biodiversity, healthy habitats, and increases the survival rate of pollinators in the area.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are many benefits to pollinators and pollination. For example, 80% of food and plant-based products require pollination, including almost all fruit and grain. Additionally, flowering plants help produce breathable oxygen, reducing the carbon dioxide in the air.
“We are incredibly proud of the ongoing efforts to reclaim state property and turn it back over to nature to provide safe habitats for pollinators. Whether that is creating a new dedicated conservation area or deliberate efforts to cut back on mowing, we continue expanding these areas every year to help create a more sustainable environment,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “Just as our roads and highways connect people, we’re creating pollinator corridors to ensure these critical species can travel freely throughout Connecticut and the region. Our conservation areas are helping pollinators thrive.”
Motorists traveling throughout Connecticut can see these corridors near highway ramps, medians, and along roadside shoulders. While these sites are truly picturesque, motorists are reminded to not put themselves in danger, and do not stop on the highway to take photos or videos of the conservation areas.
For more information about the CTDOT Pollinator Program, visit the CTDOT Vegetation Management Guidelines.
For more information about National Pollinator Week and the importance of pollinators, visit pollinator.org.
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