Freeport post office adds garden to support native pollinators

Snail mail may drop off in the summer months, but the post office in Freeport soon will be buzzing with native pollinators.

The Postal Service recently hired Grace Clark, owner of Lestari Natives in Harrison, to plant two beds of native plants in an effort to support the town’s birds and bees.

“We’ve all got a passion about native plants here because they support pollinators and wildlife,” Clark said.

By “we,” she means a handful of friends and community members who helped to plant 18 species of greenery May 28, from low-lying Pennsylvania sedge to spindly spicebush. The plots are covered in pieces of cardboard and a layer of undyed mulch.

Clark specially selected flora from her backyard and local nurseries so that, from March to October, something always will be blooming and providing nourishment for pollinators.

“We want to show people that it cannot be just beautiful — it can be functional,” Clark said.

Jim Bonner, executive director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, emphasized the importance of prioritizing native plants over invaders, calling them the “starting point for the ecosystem.”

Ecologically appropriate plants can provide crucial food for insects and birds, he said. Monarch caterpillars, for example, only eat milkweed, which is native to much of North America. It also is included in the post office garden.

Pollinators then help a plant reproduce by either spreading pollen or passing berries and seeds in their feces. About 75% of flowering plants depend on insects and animals to reproduce, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The local Audubon Society works at multiple levels to encourage these types of gardens, according to Bonner.

Since 2018, about 1,100 people, using a combined 1,500 acres, have turned parts of their properties into Certified Backyard Habitats for creatures of all kinds.

“In essence, it’s a diffused nature reserve through Western Pennsylvania,” Bonner said.

The group also assists with Bird Town Pennsylvania, a designation that helps municipalities protect local birds through minimal pesticide use, bird-friendly windows and other measures. Borough council will vote in June whether to pursue a Bird Town title.

No certification is available for Freeport’s newest garden, but Bonner said his organization is working on a third program for places such as post offices, college campuses and senior care facilities.

Clark pitched the garden to Postmaster Jill Bernard, a self-described “plant nut” whose office overflows with house plants. After getting approval from Postal Service higher-ups, the pair went ahead with designing the beds — a first for a post office in the region.

“We try to contribute to the towns that we’re in,” Bernard said.

Clark expects the garden to be low maintenance, except for some initial watering. If the need arises, she might work with a local Girl Scout troop to tend to the area.

Once one person or organization installs a native garden, Bonner said, others tend to follow suit.

“It’s contagious,” Bonner said. “There’s a little bit of positive competition.”