The Barrington Land Conservation Trust is inviting residents to help create a buzz by joining the Barrington Pollinator Pathway.

“Bees, birds, and other pollinators are declining in alarming numbers all over the world,” stated a recent press release. “The threat to pollinators is a very real threat to all of us, which is why the folks at BLCT are hoping to create a buzz for pollinators all across town.”

While Land Trust properties offer a small oasis for bees, birds and other pollinators, most traditional suburban lawns, with their non-native grasses and ornamental plants, often maintained with chemical pesticides and fertilizers, are a virtual desert for pollinators.

“However, as Dr. Doug Tallamy, University of Delaware entomologist, argues so eloquently in his book Bringing Nature Home there is, luckily, a solution,” stated the release. “If we begin to manage our own yards organically and with native plantings, we can use them to connect the preserves creating crucial corridors for wildlife.”

That is the idea behind the Northeastern Pollinator Pathway — www.pollinator-pathway.org — and why BLCT volunteers are urging residents to join the Barrington effort.

On April 14, Land Trust Pollinator Pathway Committee volunteers Ann Brouillette, Mary Grover, Cindy Larson Moura and Cindy Pierce will host a virtual lunchtime discussion to help answer questions and preview coming events, such as their May native plant sale.

The event will include a presentation by the Northeast Pollinator Pathway steering committee to learn more about how other towns have successfully launched similar initiatives. For those who cannot attend, the presentation will be recorded and available to view through the Land Trust website www.blct.org.

Ready to Join the Pathway? To Get Started:

• Join the virtual kick-off event on April 14 at noon; registration is required and can be done at www.blct.org

• Follow the Land Trust on Facebook @BarringtonLandTrust for information on coming events and to learn more about the Pathway Project

• Eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides

• Include native plants on your property and manage invasive plant species  - you will be able to buy native plants through BLCT’s first annual plant sale, find details at www.blct.org

• Rethink your lawn, less lawn is better for the environment

• Learn more about pollinator friendly yard maintenance

• Visit www.pollinator-pathway.org to see which of your friends and neighbors are already on the map

• Help spread the word