Our goal is to increase native plant species diversity by either planting native plants removing woody plant encroachments that are currently suppressing herbaceous pollinator resources and…

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $109,000 Project Grant to Milwaukee County Parks under the Endangered Species Recovery Implementation program (CFDA 15.657). The grant supports efforts to increase native plant species diversity, remove woody plant encroachments, and control invasive species in order to expand habitat for the rusty patched bumble bee and monarch butterfly across approximately 57.8 acres at six restoration sites in Wisconsin. The grant-funded activities will complement ongoing ecological restoration undertaken by Parks staff and volunteers, with post-implementation monitoring to assess bumble bee population responses. Key sub-award partners include the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The grant term runs from July 8, 2024 through September 30, 2026.

Our goal is to increase native plant species diversity by either planting native plants removing woody plant encroachments that are currently suppressing herbaceous pollinator resources and controlling invasive species that have invaded bumble BEE habitat. Ultimately each restoration site will require a different mixture of these techniques to achieve our goals. In order to best target rusty patched bumble BEE habitat restoration projects the natural areas program launched a bumble BEE monitoring program several years ago that trains community science volunteers to collect bumble BEE data across the park system. To date thirteen species of bumble bees have been documented across one hundred and sixteen sites. The recommended rusty patched bumble BEE habitat improvement areas within this request for funding are all located within the high potential zone and the restoration work provides the opportunity to quickly expand existing habitat for the rusty patched bumble BEE and another pollinator such as the monarch butterfly. After the implementation of these projects our staff and community science volunteers will continue monitoring each site in order to document how bumble BEE populations respond to the restoration work. Collectively the habitat improvement would 57.8 acres across six restoration sites and compliment on going ecological restoration efforts undertaken by parks staff and volunteers.