r/UpliftingNews • u/ArgentineBeauty • 4h ago

Two Minnesota solar farms planted native grasses and wildflowers beneath their panels. Five years later, flowering plant species had increased sevenfold, native bee numbers more than 20 fold and total insect numbers had tripled, while more bees were also visiting nearby soybean fields.

https://www.ecoticias.com/en/two-minnesota-solar-farms-turned-the-ground-beneath-their-panels-into-habitat-and-native-bee-abundance-rose-more-than-20-fold/36680/
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u/Professional_Bed_87 3h ago

Worried about bees people? Plant. More. Wildflowers. If everyone removed some of their grass, native bee populations would explode.

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u/Glum_Opening_2218 2h ago

Plant NATIVE wildflowers!

Don't just get whatever wildfire mix your dollar store is carrying and spread it, even if it claims to be native many times if you read the seeds they aren't. Get seeds from reputable online vendors like prairemoon nursery

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u/nomadicbohunk 1h ago

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. I live in Vermont and have gotten in many an argument about this with folks wanting to use the preferred seed supplier here. This is one thing I studied, know, and get hired to know and people argue with me because I'm not from VT so I'm not an expert but these people evidently are because they're from here. A few years ago I got super pissed at a board of directors with an argument stemming from ordering their one seed mix and said, "I'm sorry you hired me and I have science degrees from good schools and don't have your preferred self given degree from skimming issues of mother jones magazine on the shitter and watching instagram reels." That went over really well, but I'm glad I went full asshole and said it.

I recently found out the state wildflower is red clover. I laughed a lot. I don't know why it took me almost a decade to learn that.

Prarie moon is good for upper midwest, but I'd order from whoever is closest to you just for the genetics. In new england I've ordered from Ernst a few times for projects. Their are good sources all over.

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u/bloodanddonuts 9m ago

Some cities will just give you stuff for free, like native seeds or even actual trees.