NREA to construct new nectar garden

Photo By Cpl. Andrew Thorburn | The new nectar garden constructed by National Resources and Environmental Affairs Division was made possible by a grant from the NREA Foundation.  

UNITED STATES

10.16.2009

Story by Cpl. Andrew Thorburn 

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

The Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Division has been awarded a $6,500 grant by the National Environmental Education Foundation. The funds are available through the Department of Defense's Legacy Resource Management Program to support National Public Lands Day, and will be used to construct a nectar garden to provide habitat and food for pollinating species, such as hummingbirds and butterflies.

National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy. In 2008, 120,000 volunteers around the country built trails and bridges, removed trash and invasive plants, and planted more than 1.6 million trees.

The nectar garden will be constructed adjacent to the Combat Center's Archeology and Paleontology Curation Center. The Curation Center is located next to a wildlife viewing trail surrounding the storm water retention pond, near the softball fields. The garden will consist of four separate raised beds, which will have a variety of plant species that, depending on the species, will be flowering year-round. There will also be a path separating the beds and a few benches within the garden. The garden will provide a year-round food source for resident and transient animal species. This will be a small area of tranquility that will attract bird and butterfly species and visitors will be able to enjoy viewing this resource.

The 16th annual National Public Lands Day was held Sept. 26. However, due to funds being received later than anticipated, the construction of the garden will be completed in October and open to the public starting in November.

For more information, or to volunteer for construction of the project, contact Steve Selser, a natural resources specialist at NREA, at 760-830-5728.

• Date Taken: 10.16.2009
• Date Posted: 10.16.2009 16:27
• Story ID: 40250
• Location: US