White Deer Park Pollinator Event Gets National Recognition

Pollinators abound at White Deer Park. This eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly was photographed at the park by Allison Murphy.

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has selected the Garner Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department—in particular, White Deer Park—as grand prize winner in its first-ever national BioBlitz, a program that’s part of the organization’s Parks for Pollinators campaign.

White Deer Park held its BioBlitz event the last weekend of June, which is National Pollinator Month. At the event, citizen scientists and lovers of pollinators were encouraged to pick up their smart phones and cameras, take a self-led hike through the park and snap pictures of pollinators along the way. A guide was available to participants to help them identify pollinators.

White Deer Park’s award-winning BioBlitz event earned the park $1,000 plus a Scotts Miracle-Gro prize pack to help with pollinator habitats and programs.

According to its website, the NRPA started its Parks for Pollinators campaign “to advance awareness about pollinator issues in communities across the country. The campaign focuses on raising public awareness of the current pollinator crisis, encouraging local action and positioning parks as a national leader in advancing pollinator health.”

Stay abreast of what’s happening at White Deer Park by following the park’s Facebook page.