Part 3: Conservation
Help our Environment.
During Unite for Earth Day 2023 for Conservation we held our annual clean-up at the Orono Nature Center.
Various activities were designated with areas in need of clean-up.
The popular activity of pulling Buckthorn was back as an option using the Wood Weed Wrenches.
We had a new activity of dividing plants at the pollinator garden.
All Seasons Wild Bird store again donated refurbished birdfeeders and seed to our participants.
In addition, Earth Breeze donated detergent sheets for our participants to try a plastic-free laundry routine.
Plus, Brownie Troop 18627 hosted a super Wildflower Seed Bomb making station.
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Boy Scouts are able to use the time spent for Conservation or Service hours needed for advancement and badges.
Girl Scouts are able to use the time spent for badge requirements when appropriate.
Cadette/Senior/Ambassador Girl Scouts may use the hours toward Service to Community Bars.
Everyone gets to feel the satisfaction of doing good and making a difference.
If you were unable to gather at the Orono Nature Center with us, that doesn't mean you cannot help our Environment and Invest in Our Planet. Get out and do some conservation in and outside of your house.
Take a walk through your yard and see what you can do. Instead of pulling Buckthorn, trimming trees, picking up trash, and collecting brush with fellow scouts at the Nature Center, have fun with your family and beautify your yard.
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Check your birdhouses, bird feeders, and bird baths to prepare them for the return of your feathered friends.
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Why not create or maintain gardens to support bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Pollinators need what every animal needs: food, shelter, water, and a place to raise a family. Nature usually provides all that pollinators need; we just need to stay out of the way and resist disturbing their natural environment. Find out more at: ​Pollinator Gardens | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu).
Learn about the Invasive Species Buckthorn
Invasive species are nonnative plants, animals, and pathogens that cause environmental damage, economic loss, or harm to human health. In this video, Missy shows us how to identify, remove, and prevent the spread of buckthorn in our own communities.     Missy Anderson has been the Invasive Species Coordinator of Three Rivers Park District since 2016. She has a degree in plant biology and although born and raised in Minnesota, she spent part of her career in the western United States before moving back to be closer to family. She feels lucky to work throughout the parks and with many staff and volunteers to reduce the impacts of invasive species. She enjoys all plant-related activities, especially those that involve conservation and restoration of native plants.     Public awareness and action are key to preventing the spread of invasive species. To find out more about these species and what you can do to help protect our natural resources, visit the Three Rivers Park District Invasive Species page: https://www.threeriversparks.org/page... Also visit the DNR as mentioned in the video:
How To Divide Perennials - Expand Your Garden for Free
🌿 Dividing #perennials is a great way to expand your garden for free. The best time to divide perennials that bloom in the summer months is in the spring. Plants such as #hostas, #rudbeckias and #salvias should be divided during this time to rejuvenate the plant and control its size, stimulate new growth, and increase the number of plants to share with family and friends.
How to create a pollinator-friendly yard that also attracts birds.
All Seasons Wild Bird Store donated feeders and seed again this year for our participants. Adding a feeder to your pollinator garden at home is a great idea.
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"Pollinators include bees, birds, ants, flies, beetles, bats and more. They play a critical role in our ecosystem by fertilizing plants to make fruit or seeds. Pollinator health is essential to our global food supply. Sadly, 16.5% of bird and mammal pollinators and 40% of pollinating insects are currently threatened with extinction. We can all help by creating a pollinator-friendly habitat in our yards. And a pollinator-friendly habitat attracts a variety of birds. Plants are a vital food source (berries, nectar, seeds) and pollinating insects are eaten by birds." - All Seasons Wild Bird Store
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Eco Friendly Laundry Detergents
There are a few Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Sheets on the market today. One of the companies making these sheets is Earth Breeze who was a supporter of Unite for Earth Day 2023. As a part of their "Buy One, Give Ten" program, they donated packages of their Eco Sheets for our participants to try. They also offered a coupon code of "EARTH35" for a 35% off discount.
"It began with a hope for a better, cleaner tomorrow.
We saw how much single-use plastic was used in packaging, and the harm it was causing our planet. We knew that we could create powerful products without it. From that point, we have dedicated ourselves to reducing waste, giving back to make a difference, and empowering others to do the same!" - Earth Breeze
Wildflower Seed Bombs
How to Make Seed Bombs For Earth Day (kitchencounterchronicle.com)
We are always looking for fun Earth Day activities to do with our kids and sharing our great gardening tips. As our kids get older, it isn’t quite as easy to find activities they are interested in doing. But, making seed bombs for Earth Day has been so much fun.
You know I love finding inspiration in a good book and that’s exactly where the idea for making seed bombs came from. I was sure that we could find a cool science book and activity that my kids would love. When I first set eyes on the book A Seed is Sleepy by Diana Aston and Sylvia Long, I totally fell in love.
The book introduces readers to various seed types and how seeds grow. Sylvia Long’s illustrations are lovely – both technically accurate and whimsical. The book is a great balance of environmental science information and fun. After reading the book, we knew that we wanted to do something with seeds.
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WHAT IS A SEED BOMB?
Enter…the creation of seed bombs. A seed bomb, or seed ball, is a ball of seeds mixed with something compostable which can be shaped into a ball. In our case, we chose to use paper but seed bombs can also be made with clay and soil. The seeds are encased in compostable paper or clay and can be thrown into the soil. As the rain falls, the paper composts away, and the seeds germinate and grow wherever the bomb is thrown.
Seed bombs are a popular part of guerrilla gardening – gardening in public spaces where gardens don’t already exist. Whether you use the bombs in your own garden, in a public space, or in a schoolyard making a seed bomb is a simple way to spread flowers and help bees and pollinators thrive.
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What a perfect Earth Day activity!
HOW TO MAKE WILDFLOWER SEED BOMBS
construction paper (we used green, blue and white)
water
a variety of wildflower seeds
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Begin by preparing the paper. We decided to use construction paper, but you could easily use newsprint or any paper you have on hand. We really wanted ours to look like the Earth for Earth Day. Rip the paper into smaller pieces and place the pieces in a bowl.
Now, add water to the bowl of paper. You will need to soak the paper pieces for at least 20 minutes. You are trying to soften the fibers, so the amount of time you need will depend on the weight of your paper. If you use heavier stock paper, let it soak longer.
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Once the paper is thoroughly soaked, it is time to add it to the food processor (you could also use a blender). Add the paper and process until the paper is completely broken down.
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And, now it’s time to make the seed bombs. We used a muffin tin to make our seed bombs, but you could totally use your bare hands to make a sphere.
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Add a layer of the paper mash to the muffin tin. Then sprinkle in a layer of seeds.
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Then top off the seeds with another layer of the paper mash. Be sure to press the paper firmly, to be sure that the fibers all stick together around the seeds inside.
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Now, it is time to wait for the seed bombs to dry. Set them aside to dry for a few hours. Once the bombs were a little bit dry, we transferred ours to a baking rack to dry all the way through. We left them out overnight.
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Once the seed bombs are dry, they are ready to take outside. It isn’t time to plant our seed bombs (there is still snow on the ground here). We placed our seed bombs in an air-tight container and stored them in a dry, dark spot until spring arrives.
We now have the perfect Earth Day activity. We will head out to our local ravine and toss a few seed bombs. We will also be sharing these seed bombs with our friends on Earth Day so that they can grow flowers that the bees, and other pollinators, will love in their home gardens.
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WHAT SEEDS SHOULD WE USE IN OUR WILDFLOWER SEED BOMBS?
When it comes to selecting the seeds you use, be sure to pick seeds that will grow where you are planning on throwing your bomb. It is a good idea to choose a variety of wildflowers. A variety of seeds means that at least some of the seeds should take hold and grow.
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Be very careful that you aren’t choosing seeds that are not native to where you live. You don’t want to be responsible for introducing a non-native or invasive species into a public space.
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WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO PLANT SEED BOMBS?
If you know that there is rain in the forecast, that is the best time to toss your seed bombs. You want them to land and then be activated by the rainfall. Seeds need water to grow, if you toss them in the midst of a drought they probably won’t grow.
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Where will you toss your seed bombs?
It was a fantastic and fun activity. Today’s activity is just as fun. Enjoy!
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Today’s post is part of the amazing Storybook Science series, hosted by Inspiration Laboratories.
Please be sure to head over and check out all of the amazing science books and activities that are being shared. You are sure to find something that will excite and educate your kids.
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52 Ways to Invest in Our Planet
For us, every day is Earth Day.
If you feel the same, here are 52 actions and tips to make a difference, every day of the year.
Check out this article from the Earth Day Network at