Dr. Karen Bell
Keep Liberty Beautiful
This year, Keep Liberty Beautiful is celebrating Pollinator Week 2026 for two weeks, from June 1528, 2026. Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health that was initiated and has been managed by Pollinator Partnership for 16 years. It is a time to raise awareness of pollinators and spread the word about how we can protect them.
The great thing about Pollinator Week is that you can celebrate and get involved in any way you like. Keep Liberty Beautiful will provide pollinator kits at our office, and they are also available at all three libraries in Liberty County: Hinesville, Midway, and Fort Stewart.
Pollinator Week 2026 is a celebration of the vital role that pollinators play in our community. Under the inspiring theme, Life on a Leaf: Celebrating Caterpillars and Host Plants, this year highlights the importance of butterflies, moths, and the plants they depend on for breeding, feeding, and overwintering. Pollinators, including bees, butterflies, moths, bats, beetles, and hummingbirds, are the unsung heroes behind the food we enjoy and the beauty that surrounds us. As we reflect on the interconnectedness of our community, let’s unite in a collective effort to protect and preserve these crucial pollinators.
Your understanding of the impact of our actions on their habitats and your embrace of sustainable practices are key to paving the way for a flourishing future that we all share.
Pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat, but their importance goes far beyond our dinner tables. They help sustain healthy ecosystems, support biodiversity, and contribute to the beauty of our community. By planting native flowers, reducing pesticide use, and creating pollinator-friendly habitats, each of us can make a meaningful difference for future generations.
The U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as National Pollinator Week was a significant step in addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations.
This designation has not only inspired people worldwide to pledge their commitment to promoting pollinator health and well-being, but it has also elevated Pollinator Week to a truly global initiative. This global recognition underlines the event’s credibility and importance, making everyone’s participation even more impactful.
Keep Liberty Beautiful is doing a lot of work to ensure we have a pollinator-friendly garden at the Liberty County Community Complex in Midway. The newly dedicated Butterfly Garden honoring Judy Shippey is shaping up very well.
KLB is working with the Morning Glory Garden Club, the Girl Scouts, several summer camps, homeschool programs, and other community organizations to spread the word about the importance of gardens and the vital role our pollinator friends play.
Some people may think they don’t have a green thumb or the space or time to garden. Fortunately, there are many simple gardening ideas that anyone can use at home.
Elizabeth Flaherty wrote an article titled 24 Genius Gardening Hacks You’ll Be Glad You Know. She suggested various uses for old sponges, toilet paper rolls, recycled aluminum cans, and more. Here are a few ideas that may help you create a more pollinator-friendly garden. Plant-in-a-Pot Landscaping Design: Ever wish you could reorganize your garden after seeing how mature plants look? Use matching pots that nest inside one another. Place your plants in double containers and bury them at ground level. When you want a change, simply lift out the top pot and move it elsewhere. This method is also useful for bringing plants indoors during the winter and makes seasonal color changes quick and easy.
Cardboard Seed Tubes: Save toilet paper and paper towel tubes for an easy and environmentally friendly way to start seeds. Cut the tubes into 2-inch lengths and place them in a waterproof tray.
Fill them with potting soil and plant your seeds.
When seedlings are ready for the garden, plant the entire tube. The cardboard will naturally decompose in the soil.
Healthy Plant Hydration: Water that settles at the bottom of pots can lead to root rot. To combat this problem, cut up old sponges and place them at the bottom of containers. The sponges retain moisture while creating needed air space. They also help prevent water from draining too quickly, acting as a reservoir that keeps soil moist longer.
The Keep Liberty Beautiful staff and advisory board members have scheduled many exciting Pollinator Week activities throughout Liberty County. Please visit our website at www.keeplibertybeautiful. org and follow us on Facebook for event updates and information.
You can also contact us at (912) 880-4888 or klcb@libertycountyga.gov.
Together, we can help ensure that pollinators continue to thrive and that our community remains beautiful, healthy, and environmentally sustainable for generations to come.