Turning the Page for Pollinators: Home

The “Turning the Page for Pollinators” project will write a new chapter for a damaged commercial site in Ulster County, NY. 

The 1.04 acre property is owned by Southeastern New York Library Resources Council, a non-profit serving a network of 100+ libraries and cultural heritage institutions in eight counties in the Mid-Hudson Valley for more than 60 years. The highly visible site has several challenges: 

layers of landscape fabric over compacted soil; 

extensive lawns that turn patchy during droughts; and, 

mature shrubs that are invasive vectors for surrounding woodlands or that do not support pollinator life cycles. 

Building on existing efforts to install more pollinator-friendly plants, the project objectives are to: 

1) Remediate and sustain the soil food web;

2) Install site-appropriate native plants to support pollinator life cycles year-round;

3) Reduce reliance on gas-powered lawn equipment;

4) Engage in pollinator-supporting maintenance practices; and, 

5) Demonstrate for Southeastern members and the public how to actively steward commercial land to support pollinators.

Measurable outcomes from this project include: removing 46 shrubs and 6,000 square feet of landscape fabric and degraded topsoil; installing a mix of pollinator-friendly plants; converting 1,200 square feet of lawn into a wildflower meadow; and, engaging in education and outreach with members and the public through presentations, programs, a website, and signage. Ultimately, “Turning the Page for Pollinators” will reclaim the site’s inherent assets to provide a net positive impact to the local ecosystem.

Project Start Date

March 1, 2025

Project End Date

February 28, 2026