The Town of Pittsford and Color Pittsford Green launched the Pittsford Pollinator Pathway Challenge in September 2023 to help educate and encourage residents and businesses to create pollinator pathways around Pittsford. Park Road Elementary School is the first school in the Pittsford Central School District to be designated a Pollinator Pathway.

Pollinator pathways are initiatives aimed at preserving habitats for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. These pathways comprise a network of gardens and green spaces designed to provide food, shelter, and nesting sites to help combat the decline in pollinator populations and promote biodiversity.

Each of the District's five elementary schools has raised-bed pollinator gardens, which provide ample learning opportunities to experience the schoolyard in different ways that align with the K-5 Life Science Units. Students look at patterns of what plants and animals need to grow and survive and how they depend on each other to meet their needs. They also explore how to reduce the human impact on living and non-living things in our local environment.

The requirements to become a Pittsford Pollinator Pathway site are:

• Plant native trees, shrubs, or perennials.
• Ensure the presence of a water source, whether a pond, stream, or birdbath.
• Create habitats conducive for pollinators to nest, using rock piles, dead wood, or man-made options like nest boxes.
• Refrain from pesticides.

Anyone who meets these qualifiers can submit a completed form and collect the Pittsford Pollinator Pathway sign to display. Learn more at townofpittsford.org/pollinator-pathway.