The Martinsville Garden Club and The Garden Study Club’s Smith River Paw Path Pollinator Garden, now in its second phase, has already attracted community involvement. Magna Vista High School students created insect “hotels” to welcome pollinators. The hotels have been placed along the Paw Path, with a sign explaining their role in the path’s rich ecosystem. Some 75 Magna Vista students, working in groups, created webpages with podcasts about native plants planted along the trail. The clubs chose one of the student formats as the standard to be used on its website being created to bring awareness to the pollinator garden and trail. The clubs purchased the domain name “PawPath.org.” Students also created QR codes to be placed on each plant sign so visitors, using smart phones and devices, can access additional information about plants that pique their interest. The next phase entails creation of elementary-level educational materials based on science SOLs for local school systems. The garden and trail offer visitors an opportunity to learn about bees, butterflies and other pollinators, as well as the plants on which they survive and thrive. The hope is to inspire children and adults to help sustain the pollinators that sustain us all.
