The Sierra Club Winding Waters Group has nurtured a special team of volunteers that care about the decline of pollinator insects and other wildlife in our ecosystem. In 2018, they formed a Pollinator Protector Team and since then have offered an annual native plant sale and have donated and installed native plant beds in our community. Last year, Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority helped our group to raise funds for a new Pollinator Path with donors from our community and a matching grant for a total of $15,000. Over the past two years, native plant beds have been designed and installed by the Pollinator Protector Team and many organizations and city and county partners from our community have contributed to the creation of the Columbus AirPark Pollinator Path on the People Trail.

Please join the Winding Waters Group for a ribbon cutting event at Blackwell Park, at one end of the Pollinator Path and then continue along the path to enjoy the new native beds until we reach the Propeller Makerspace at the Columbus AirPark. A guided tour will be given by the designer of the new native plant beds and Sierra Club Outings Leaders so that we can appreciate the native blooms and insect activity along the Path. Following the walk, a reception with food and drinks will be held at the Propeller Makerspace.

The Indiana Wildlife Federation has designated the Pollinator Path as a sustainable trail, meaning this urban trail adds value to our ecosystem because it offers support to insects and wildlife by providing food, water and shelter as well as host plants for the life cycles of insects that need native plants to survive. The event and the 1.5 mile walk will take at least an hour not including the reception to follow. A shuttle will be available to transport walkers that would like a ride back to the Blackwell Park location where we began. Please plan to stay for the reception at 7 p.m. to celebrate the newly established native habitat and the beautiful summer blooms and enjoy local pizza on the Winding Waters Group. A beer truck is being arranged and details will follow. Please register so that we may properly plan for catering and shuttle service. For questions and details please contact Eric Riddle, [email protected]

Please RSVP here so we can have an accurate count for the reception party : https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=7013q000001rQkqAAE&mapLinkHref=https://maps.google.com/maps&daddr=Pollinator%20Path%20Ribbon%20Cutting,%20Walk%20and%20Reception%20at%20the%20Propeller%20Makerspace@39.244403,-85.90953