EAC Pollinator Pitstop Program Recognized by Pennsylvania EAC Network
- Donna Delany, WVT EAC Chair, Elisabeta Sheehan and Carys Egan, WVT EAC members
The West Vincent Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) has received state-wide recognition from the Pennsylvania EAC Network for our Pollinator Pitstop Program. The EAC was invited to talk about the success of our Pollinator Pitstop Program at the recent Pennsylvania EAC Fall Gathering held on October 24, attended by EAC members from across the state.
Township Supervisor, Dana Alan, led the session and explained how helping the Monarch butterfly and other pollinators by planting beautiful native flowers has captured our hearts and has led many of our residents to come together and take action to save this endangered species.
The WVT EAC presentation included pictures chronicling the highlights of the project beginning in November 2021 to date: our November Lasagna Garden demonstration in Andrew Evans Park; freezing cold January ‘Winter Sowing’ Seed Giveaway (it was 7 degrees!); Girl Scouts planting 650 butterfly milkweed plants in March; and in May, helping at West Vincent Elementary School's Earth Day, giving away the butterfly milkweed plants at Community Day, and the planting of the Pitstop Garden in Andrew Evans Park. The pictures showed the Monarchs enjoying the flowers of newly bloomed infant plants. The presentation was so well received that every participant asked for the Pitstop garden design.
West Vincent’s Clean Energy Transition Team (CETT) was also recognized at the event. Kathy McDevitt, CETT member, was thanked for her help with creating the Clean Energy website, (http://www.pacleanenergy.com), which provides resources and examples all can use to develop and implement our community's Climate Action Plans and/or Energy Transition Plans.
West Vincent also has been recognized as an early adopter of the Growing Greener Conservation Subdivision Ordinance, designed to preserve the historic and environmental features of the land while adding to the value during the subdivision process. For more information, Growing Greener: Putting Conservation into Local Plans and Ordinances, by Randall Arendt, is an illustrated workbook that presents a new way to look at designing subdivisions to preserve green space, create open space networks, and provide community benefit through improved air and water quality, stormwater management, ecosystem services, and health in an economically beneficial way.
West Vincent EAC members were proud to be part of the Township's recognition by other municipalities as an environmental leader and role model.