Granby Wildflower Meadow Chosen For Participation In Umass Study Of Pollinators

The recently planted Granby Wildflower meadow, located at 175 Salmon Brook Street, has been chosen for a 5-year study of insect pollinator networks, led by a team at UMass Amherst. The study is designed to better understand the relationship between pollinator habitat and the diversity and abundance of bees. It will also provide detailed assessments of how pathogens affect a specific bee species.

On August 2, 2022, the UMass team visited the meadow for the first time and took baseline measurements. Every two weeks throughout the growing season, the study team will observe the number and diversity of flowers and bees using standardized sampling methods. The team will also observe an additional private meadow in town to provide control observations. The UMass team will provide their data and insights to the Granby Wildflower Meadow and the Town of Granby so that we can better understand the impact of the native plant initiative on our local ecosystem.

About the Project
The Granby Wildflower Meadow is located at 175 Salmon Brook Street and is a 5-acre plot of town land. In June of 2022, with the help of funds from the Hartford Giving Foundation, the Friends of Granby Wildflower Meadow began ecosystem restoration by planting almost 800 plugs of native wildflowers. The next step in restoration is overseeding additional wildflowers in the Fall of 2022. For more information, visit www.granbywildflowers.org.