Stonington Pollinator Habitat

About the Program
Bayer’s Stonington Pollinator Habitat is located just outside the town of Stonington, Illinois, at a site bordered by farm fields and experimental farm plots. The team manages 1.1 acres of grassland habitat for the benefit of local wildlife. With declining pollinator habitat, Bayer planted habitat to help sustain pollinators. Efforts include attracting beneficial insects by increasing native flowering plants. The conservation objective is to help sustain the monarch and other pollinator populations.

Practices and Impacts

• Beginning in 2015, the team at Bayer began to manage their grassland habitat by planting a diverse mix of native grassland species combined with annual burning or mowing early in the spring. Plants are inventoried once per year, with additional documentation of plant growth conditions and wildlife activity made several times per year. Basking areas for pollinators were added to the habitat in 2020. 
• The team expanded the grassland by 0.3 acres that was previously a dirt/rock road and landscape burn pit with wastewater soil covering it. The team planted a septic field mix and a bird and butterfly prairie wildflower seed mix allowing the new plants to uptake the wastewater nutrients and reducing potential stream entries of additional nutrients.
• Volunteers hand cultivated invasive trees out of the habitat.
• The team conducts monthly walk-throughs of the habitat to note plants and pollinator use and utilizing the iNaturalist app for plant identification. In 2019, 28 plants were identified, and rabbits were also observed. The team identified monarch butterflies and a blue swallowtail, yellow and white moths, toads and one snakeskin was found near the wet drainage ditch area.
• Employees are engaged in bi-annual meetings, planning events, monitoring and managing.
• Partners (Stonington Fire protection district, Village of Stonington and Stonington Library district) are engaged in project implementation and development (controlled burns, plantings, sign installation, community awareness).