Great Neck Sewer District Plants Butterfly and Bee Garden Sanctuary

The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District (GNWPCD) recently teamed up with the Green Defenders Club, which is led by William A. Shine Great Neck South High School students, and Town of North Hempstead Environmental Specialist Meagan Fastuca to plant a butterfly and bee garden sanctuary at the District headquarters. The garden is made up entirely of native plants and will serve as an excellent source of food for the many pollinators who call the Great Neck peninsula home throughout the spring and summer.

“Pollinators such as bees and butterflies play an integral role in the health of our environment, as they ensure that plantlife throughout our community can grow and thrive,” said GNWPCD Chairwoman Patty Katz. “We made sure to only use native plants in our garden, as they not only serve as an excellent source of food for pollinators, but they are also drought-resistant and require far less water to survive than non-native species. We are excited to see these insects buzzing about outside our windows as our garden blooms, and we thank our dedicated students for all their help in making this possible.”

The native plants thriving in the garden include Muhly grass, New York ironweed, Joe-Pye weed, blue false indigo, butterfly milkweed, prairie drop, sneezeweed, liatris, anise hyssop, purple coneflower, smooth asta, oxeye and wild geranium. These plants are perfectly suited to thrive in Great Neck, as their long roots are able to absorb more water than non-native plants. This grants them access to more water at any given time of year, even in drought-like conditions.