Waste Management of PA - Bucks County Landfills

About the Program
WM’s Bucks County Landfill is a working landfill located just north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The team designed a demonstration garden of 0.11 acres for pollinators and converted a 0.40-acre hay field into a wildflower meadow. The garden and meadow habitats are connected to other adjacent pollinator habitats and have served as a focal point for the local community to learn about and engage in pollinator conservation practices. Conservation objectives include promoting a healthy habitat for pollinators and increasing community awareness of pollinator conservation.

Practices and Impacts

• In May 2014, the team installed the .05-acre “Laboratory for Learning” demonstration garden, which contains native flowering plants that provide foraging opportunities and host plants for a pollinator species. The area was expanded in 2017 and is now 0.11 acres in size. The wildlife team maintains the area by mulching, weeding, controlling invasive species, dividing overgrown plants, deadheading, installing plant labels, edging and maintaining the walking path. Puddlers and bee houses have been added. No pesticides are used to control infestations of invasive plants. Instead, the team utilizes biological controls such as the planting of marigolds and the manual removal of invasives. The site is monitored regularly to determine plant health and next steps for the project.
• In May 2014, the team also converted a 0.4-acre turfgrass area to a native grassland/meadow adjacent to the garden for additional pollinator habitat and educational opportunities. The grassland has expanded to 2.38 acres, which the team maintains by mowing annually. Routine monitoring is conducted to identify use by wildlife and the need for invasive species control.
• At the onset of the two habitat projects, the team also began a monarch butterfly project with the objectives of providing quality native habitat that would support several monarch life-cycle needs (foraging, reproduction, water, basking and migratory stopover). Tagging events are held annually. The project is certified by the National Wildlife Federation, North American Butterfly Association, Monarch Watch and Penn State University.
• The team also manages an additional pollinator project to benefit a wide variety of pollinator species. Bug hotels were installed for native bees. Additional habitat for sweat and ground nesting bees was converted from a walking path. 
• The wildlife team also has a vibrant, far-reaching community awareness and engagement project. About 30 events are held in a typical year. On-site habitat is used to both inform the education project and to engage participants in activities including monitoring, data collection and the Monarch Watch tagging program. This has resulted in additional habitats being created off-site, such as at a local Senior Center, at the Pen Ryn School and at Penn Manor Estate.