RENO, Nev. – The Reno/Sparks Association of REALTORS® (RSAR) has announced that the “Biggest Little Pollinator Garden” by Nevada Bugs and Butterflies in partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno, was selected as the 2017 “REALTORS® Build A Better Block” project. As the winning project, the Biggest Little Pollinator Garden will receive monies to continue its efforts in maintaining and supporting local pollinators.
“We are pleased to support Reno’s Biggest Little Pollinator Garden through this contribution,” said John Graham, President, Reno/Sparks Association of REALTORS®. “This award recognizes projects that transform a current public space into a place that offers a positive cultural or economic impact in the community makes it a better place to live, work and play.”
With the funds, the Nevada Bugs and Butterflies in partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno will create and install a welcome and interpretive sign at the Biggest Little Pollinator Garden located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno, in the Fleischmann Agricultural Courtyard. The interpretive sign will create an additional educational component to the garden by showcasing the diversity of the Great Basin native plants to students, staff and community members and thereby “Build A Better Block.”
“We are very excited to partner with the Reno/Sparks REALTORS® Association for this project to improve Reno’s Biggest Little Pollinator Garden,” said Kevin Burls, Ph.D., Executive Director, Bugs and Butterflies. “Our goal is to educate the public about the amazing native plant and pollinator diversity in our state, and our new interpretive sign will be a central part of welcoming visitors, explaining the garden’s purpose and introducing its plant and animal inhabitants. This beautiful garden featuring Nevada’s native plants is a collaborative effort with many community partners including Nevada Bugs and Butterflies, the University of Nevada Museum of Natural History, University of Nevada Grounds Services, Nevada State Arboretum, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nevada Division of Forestry, Nevada Native Plant Society, and Pollinator Partnership.”
The Biggest Little Pollinator Garden was established in 2015 with the goal of transforming areas on the University of Nevada, Reno campus into a series of pollinator-friendly plantings to attract and support Nevada’s native pollinators. Nevada Bugs and Butterflies uses hands-on experiences with Northern Nevada’s native insects to get children excited about science and the environment. Their goal is to make science accessible, empowering kids to learn about the world around them and the role that other living organisms play in their daily lives. In additional to its partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno and the Biggest Little Pollinator Garden, Nevada Bugs and Butterflies has a butterfly house located in Lemmon Valley, an outdoor science center and performs outreach events to groups in the Reno-Tahoe area.
The Reno/Sparks Association of REALTORS® is an organization providing services to its members to ensure their success as real estate professionals, as well as protecting and promoting the consumer’s dream of homeownership. For more information, visit www.rsar.net.