The Cincinnati Zoo is still challenging everyone to cultivate “Plants for Pollinators,” and asking for feedback on what the Zoo can do to support you during the coronavirus crisis. See below for a message from the Zoo.

Send CTM your feedback, and we will pass it to the Zoo!

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The good news – spring is officially here! Flowers are popping up everywhere and our pollinator friends are getting busy.

The bad news – well, you already know the bad news. How will COVID-19 impact the Plant for Pollinators Challenge? Very few garden registrations have come in over the past few weeks when we would have normally expected them to start ramping up in March. Understandably, we all have more pressing issues on the top of our minds; planting and registering a pollinator garden is not likely to be a priority.

On the other hand, people have been ordered to stay home. They need fresh air and exercise. They need a break from the 24-hour news cycle and social media feeds. Their children need hands-on, real-world learning opportunities. And our pollinators still need their help. Gardening is a great way to recharge, find hope, and regain some sense of control while making a positive difference.

While all of our in-person promotional events and opportunities are on hold for the moment, how can we continue to reach out to the Greater Cincinnati community with our message of planting for pollinators? Social media, for sure. Perhaps we can do more through radio and tv. What about hosting virtual workshops or presentations for your audiences? How can we support you in such efforts?

For those of you who run garden centers and nurseries, what do the stay-at-home orders mean for you? Are you closing or are you considered essential services like the home improvement stores? How do you expect this to impact your business and what can we do to help? Can we still encourage people to patronize your businesses?

And if people are not able to purchase new plants in the upcoming months, what else can we encourage them to do in their yards to support pollinators?

I’d love to know more about how this COVID-19 crisis is impacting you and your organizations, and really want to hear your thoughts and ideas on how we continue to serve both our human and pollinator communities during this time. Above all, I hope you and yours are all staying safe and healthy.