The Upper Saranac Lake boat launch has been transformed into a flowering pollinator paradise. A previous location that harbored non-native and invasive plants is now a safe haven for needed and endangered pollinators. Where the once eroded hillside acted as a vector for pollutants and sediment to flow freely into the lake, it is now a stable “no-mow” shorefront, laced with shrubs and native flowers.
It has been a common occurrence this summer to see pollinating bees, butterflies, and birds dancing among these flowering plants. Pollinator projects such as this not only add to the aesthetics of our shoreline, it aids in the health of our environment by attracting wildlife and prevents unwanted nutrients from entering the water.
In a collaborative effort with AdkAction, Paul Smith’s College’s Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI), the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP), the Upper Saranac Foundation is leading the charge to create native habitats in the watershed.
