Protecting the pollinators: KDOT adds more habitat

Here’s the buzz! Did you know that pollinators are vital to Kansas’ economy? About three-quarters of the world's flowering plants and many of the food crops eaten in North America depend on pollinators. In the U.S., pollination produces nearly $24 billion worth of products annually.  

The Monarch butterfly caterpillar can only eat the leaves of milkweed. Monarch Butterflies only lay their eggs
on milkweed plants. Losing these important plants could be devastating to these important pollinators.

Unfortunately, bee and Monarch butterfly populations are on the decline. The lack of pollination would mean no apples, blueberries, almonds, melons, pumpkins, chocolate, coffee and more. 

A Monarch butterfly on a Butterfly Milkweed plant. 

In order to help change that, KDOT crews will be busy for the fourth year in a row as they continue to plant  native wildflowers and grasses along our roadways.

One of the many varieties of flowers and plants you'll see along our roadways are the Black-Eyed Susan flowers.

This is all thanks to a partnership with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Last September, KDOT was awarded $65,000 for the restoration and enhancement of rights-of-way for Monarchs. The grant will provide approximately 125 acres of pollinator habitat to be completed within in the next two summers. 

This year the project locations include:

·         I-35 & U.S. 59 Interchange – 52 acres

·         Linn County Rest Area, U.S. 69 & K-52 Interchange – 26 acres

·         I-35/Homestead Lane Interchange, Johnson County – 22 acres

·         Montgomery County Rest Area, U.S. 400 & U.S.169 Interchange – three acres

Common Milkweed in bloom.

This year around 100 acres will be planted, and next year, an additional 22 acres will be added in Franklin County.  This grant was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The next time you take a drive, be on the lookout for these incredibly important pollinator habitats with the help of brand new KDOT Pollinator Habitat signs, which will be installed this year along some of the areas mentioned above.

Be on the lookout for these signs as you travel across the state. They'll be added this year!

For more information on how KDOT is helping pollinators, click here: http://pollinatorpartners.ksdot.org