For the Tomahawk Leader

MERRILL – The Lincoln County Land Services Department said the first annual seed harvest at the Lincoln County Pollinator Garden was “a resounding success.”

The harvest was held at the garden at the Lincoln County Service Center in Merrill on Saturday, Oct. 16.

“At the harvesting workshops, funded by a grant from the SARE program, over 160 community members, students, and educators participated throughout the month of October,” a release from the department said. “Students from St. Francis and the Prairie River Middle School attended to not only help harvest seeds, but learn about the importance of pollinators and their habitat.”

Elizabeth Peronto, Lincoln County Conservation Program Assistant, said some of the students were a part of the original planting of the Lincoln County Pollinator Garden.

“To have them return to help in harvesting was a full-circle experience that was truly unique,” Peronto stated.

The department said the goal of this year’s harvest was to provide enough seed to the community to create at least 10,000 square feet of new native prairie.

“Now that the harvesting has concluded, we believe that we will have enough seed to not only meet our goal, but exceed it by at least 50%,” said Thomas Boisvert, Lincoln County Conservation Program Manager.

Once all of the harvested seeds are processed throughout the winter months, the Pollinator Project will be offering seed sachets to the community, along with detailed instructions on how to establish their own native prairie planting, the department said. The Pollinator Project hopes that, by providing these items at no cost to the community, new pollinator gardens are established throughout the area in the coming years.