Partners for Pollinators

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

On October 16, 2018, students from York River Academy’s (YRA) Greenhouse Team, along with their teacher, Veronica Warwick, met with several representatives from the Department of Public Works and York County’s Beautification Committee. It was apparent at this first meeting that the organizations shared a number of common goals, including a focus on sustainable environmental practices and a desire to promote programs and products that are environmentally friendly. These three organizations have worked together to create sustainable gardens, to include native plant species, to provide a habitat for native species of pollinators. The Beautification Committee hosted the YRA Greenhouse team at the 2018 Clean Business Breakfast Forum, where they spoke about their initiatives in sustainability such as growing herbs to be used in products they are producing (such as lotions, soaps, etc.), and collecting plastic bags for recycling in the Trex Plastic Bag Recycling Program. YRA received the first bench awarded to the Beautification Committee in order to recognize them for their environmental efforts. In the time since this partnership was established, these groups have found a number of ways to coordinate efforts.