Rotary Park In Brainerd Adds 14,000 Pollinator Plants To Field Of Seeds

On Wednesday, June 26th, the Brainerd Rotary Club, Brainerd Parks Department, and the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District installed 14,000 pollinator-friendly plants to celebrate phase III of the Rotary Park Field of Seeds project.

The Field of Seeds project has taken years to develop to turn a one-acre plot from a prairie area infested with weeds to an acre full of pollinator plants. An important part of this project was to make a plot of land that will bring the endangered rusty-patched bumblebee, which was recently named the Minnesota state bee.

“These species are native to this particular area, we like them to stay within 200 miles of their farm or their location, most of them are ground-nesting and they look for undisturbed native pollinator habitats,” said District Conservationist Candi Fuller.

The Brainerd Rotary Club enjoys volunteering for events that involve helping the environment and bringing the community closer to nature.

“Rotary’s slogan is ‘service above self,’ and so this is an ideal project that we can demonstrate to the community how much we try and support the community,” said Rotary Park committee member Peter Nelson.

“This is something that we feel we can do for the community and for people that come to our community just to see how beautiful and gorgeous it is, people that want to learn about nature and people that just want to be out in nature will want to be here, it’s pretty much for everybody,” said past Rotary President Carol Johnson.

“It’s quiet, it’s peaceful, you have the Mississippi River that is just flowing by, it gives you an opportunity to step back and calm down and relax,” said current Rotary President Bill Potvin.

It is expected that all the seeds planted today at Rotary Park will be available during the 2021 growing season.