On Saturday May 25, Nebraska Monarchs and Grasslands Unlimited hosted an event called “Plant One Take One.” The purpose of the event was to plant native plants at Pacific Preserve’s entryway and give participants a chance to get free native plants for their own gardens. Overall about 40 people came to plant and receive native plants. Not only was it a way to create native pollinator habitat but also to socialize with the Nebraska pollinator community.
The event started at 10:00 am and ended around 11:45 am. People parked in Pacific Preserve’s small parking lot and met the board members at the entrance and then started planting. The planting space was a small patch of grass by the trail entrance. Before the event started, the founder of Grasslands Unlimited Trevor Pellerite used a lawn tractor and mowed some of the grass so there was space to plant. Next, volunteers used a tool called a pro plugger that made the process of making holes for plants easier and cleaner. As volunteers started planting, more and more people started showing up. This event had multiple different jobs such as, planting, watering, mulching, and making holes for the plants.
Grasslands Unlimited and Nebraska Monarchs’ goal is necessary and important. Humans have destroyed native animal habitat, so everyone needs to work together to help not only Grasslands Unlimited and Nebraska Monarchs, but other organizations with the same goal. At “Plant One Take One,” volunteers saw wildlife in action such as butterflies, dragonflies, a hawk, a salamander, and a toad. Not only that, but the 550 plants that were planted at Pacific Preserve and the soon to be planted native plants received by volunteers are another giant step toward restoring native habitat.
