100,000 packets of wilderflower seeds distributed to bring back Colorado bumblebees
Generation Wild encourages kids to plant seeds in their yards.
Generation Wild plans to distribute 100,000 packets of Wilderflower seeds throughout metro Denver to promote outdoor play, help the ecosystem and provide bumblebees with a healthy home.
The packets contain wildflower seeds that are native to Colorado and the American West, and the packets hold over 56 million seeds altogether, according to the organization.
Generation Wild distributes the seed packets to local libraries, museums, recreation centers, and free library book-sharing boxes throughout the state.
A complete list of Wilderflower pick-up locations can be found at www.generationwild.com/wilderflowers.
Generation Wild partnered with Applewood Seed Co. to create the seed mix with a diverse array of native flowers to best attract and support Colorado’s pollinators, according to Applewood CEO Norm Poppe.
“Applewood Seed Co. was excited to jump in and help Generation Wild identify a seed mix that is native to the Colorado region and the American West, containing a diversity of flower species to attract and support Colorado’s pollinator populations,” Poppe said in a news release. “We hope efforts like this continue to educate the public on pollinator conservation and the need to protect our native bees and butterflies.”
The seed packets are part of a larger initiative by Generation Wild to increase the number of pollinators in Colorado, especially the bumblebee population.
Some 20% of Colorado’s bumblebees are at risk of extinction, according to the Colorado Department of Natural Resources
The western bumblebee population is also declining at a rate of 72% in the past 25 years in Colorado’s Southern Rocky Mountains, according to a study conducted by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
“In Colorado, pollinators help produce apples from Paonia, pumpkins from Lafayette, tomatoes from Grand Junction, peaches from Palisade, cantaloupes from Rocky Ford and lots more,” said a spokesperson for Generation Wild.
The organization said it encourages children and families to go outdoors and plant flowers in their backyards to help improve the environment.
“Our whole goal is to get kids reconnected with the outdoors and inspire unstructured play,” the spokesperson said. “And this way, kids also get to give back to the environment by planting flowers.”
Generation Wild Day is June 21, when kids statewide are encouraged to spread Wilderflower seeds.
Joy Park and Adventure Forest at Children’s Museum Marsico Campus will also be open for free that day from 4:30-8 p.m., where children will receive free Wilderflower seeds and get a chance to meet “Wilder” and “The Bee Team.”
Generation Wild also partnered with Denver Parks and Recreation to plant pollinator beds at five Denver Parks, including City Park, Sloan’s Lake, Montbello Civic Center, Gates Crescent Park, and Garfield Lake Park, according to a news release.
The pollinator beds are called “Florafitti Gardens” because when the flowers bloom, they will reveal hidden messages in the flower beds, according to a spokesperson for Generation Wild.
“Through this effort, kids will be empowered to improve the environment and learn firsthand what helps our local ecosystems thrive,” said Great Outdoors Colorado Executive Director Jackie Miller in the release. “Most importantly, they’ll be outside engaging with nature in a fun and personal way.”
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