PennDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Plan is transforming highway roadsides into thriving ecosystems, benefiting pollinators, local communities, and state conservation efforts.
By: Dylan Wiest
The Importance of Pollinators
Pollinators are vital to our environment and economy, yet their populations are declining at alarming rates. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has launched a new conservation project called the Pollinator Habitat Plan to combat this issue. This project reimagines roadside areas as thriving pollinator habitats. This ensures that species like monarch butterflies, yellow-banded bumble bees, and regal fritillary butterflies have access to essential habitats.
Map of Pennsylvania Turnpike pollinator habitat locations, highlighting rest stops and roadside areas transformed through PennDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Plan. Graphic by Dylan Wiest
This video highlights key roadside areas for the Pollinator Habitat Plan and explains more of what it is. Video by Dylan Wiest
Threats to Pollinators
Pollinators play a crucial role in agriculture, with nearly 75% of flowering plants relying on pollinators to reproduce. Crops such as apples, pumpkins, and cherries thrive because of these essential creatures. However because of habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change pollinator populations have significantly decreased, threatening food security and biodiversity in Pennsylvania. Monarch butterflies, for example, are under review for federal protection due to severe population declines.
PennDOT’s Conservation Strategies
PennDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Plan addresses these challenges by utilizing highway rights-of-way (ROWs) for conservation. These spaces which are usually overlooked, provide ideal locations for pollinator habitats without disrupting traffic or other uses. PennDOT’s conservation strategies include:
- Conservation Mowing: Reducing the frequency of mowing, allowing native plants to flower and provide essential nectar for pollinators during critical life stages.
- Daylighting: Removing overgrown tree canopies ensuring that sunlight can nourish native plants.
- Pollinator-Friendly Planting: Roadsides and rest stops are planted with milkweed, goldenrod, and other native species, creating sanctuaries for bees and butterflies
Roadside flowers emerge as PennDOT clears tree canopies, creating ecosystems for pollinators. Photo by Dylan Wiest
Pollinator Gardens and Education
The project also includes designated pollinator gardens at rest stops and welcome centers. These spaces feature signs to educate visitors on the importance of pollinators and how they support ecosystems. By integrating ecological awareness into public spaces, PennDOT aims to create a culture of conservation throughout the state.
Pollinator-friendly rest stop gardens, like those near Irwin, PA, educate visitors while providing sanctuary for butterflies and bees. Photo by Dylan Wiest
Community Partnerships
A key aspect of the project is its partnership with local communities. Through PennDOT’s Adopt and Beautify program, residents and organizations are challenged to create and maintain pollinator habitats. Volunteers go around and plant wildflowers like milkweed and black-eyed Susans, which attract and sustain pollinators. These efforts help restore biodiversity and strengthen ecosystems across the region.
Economic and Environmental Benefits
The Pollinator Habitat Plan offers more than ecological benefits. PennDOT has significantly lowered landscaping costs by reducing mowing frequency and maintenance needs which allows resources to be used elsewhere. These habitats also improve soil health and water retention, helping to stabilize roadside areas and prevent erosion. This program also aligns with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s conservation efforts. PennDOT can offset potential impacts of future highway projects on sensitive ecosystems by earning environmental credits. These credits serve as a financial and ecological buffer, ensuring that development and conservation can coexist.
Awareness and Future Goals
Visitors at rest areas along the Pennsylvania Turnpike can view signs highlighting the life cycle of monarch butterflies and the importance of milkweed plants. This not only raises awareness but also encourages individuals to take simple steps to protect pollinators in their own communities. This initiative’s success makes PennDOT a leader in conservation transportation planning. By transforming highways into pollinator habitats, the program demonstrates how correct land management can yield significant environmental benefits. The effort has already converted hundreds of acres into pollinator friendly spaces, with plans for more sites in the coming years. These projects align with federal initiatives like the FAST Act of 2015, which promotes pollinator conservation along transportation routes.
Timeline of PennDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Plan, showcasing key milestones from its launch to ongoing and future conservation efforts. Graphic by Dylan Wiest
Expanding the Pollinator Habitat Plan
PennDOT aims to expand the Pollinator Habitat Plan in the future to include more ROWs, rest stops, and community led projects. By continuing to collaborate with stakeholders and adopting management practices, this program seeks to address new challenges while making its impact even larger. With thoughtful planning and public participation, Pennsylvania’s highways are becoming vibrant pathways for pollinators, ensuring a sustainable future for both ecosystems and agriculture.
Highway roadsides lined with native plants thanks to PennDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Plan, creating vital habitats for monarchs and bees. Photo by Dylan Wiest
Pennsylvania Highways Support Pollinators
Native plants like milkweed, asters, and bee balm are at the center of Pennsylvania’s pollinator program. These plants are perfectly adapted to local conditions, requiring minimal maintenance while providing essential resources for bees, butterflies, and other species. Beyond supporting pollinators, they play a vital role in improving soil health, controlling erosion, and reducing stormwater runoff, which can lessen the effects of flooding. By incorporating these plants, PennDOT is prioritizing sustainability and helping re-establish ecological balance along busy highways. This initiative not only supports biodiversity but also creates scenic landscapes for those driving on the Turnpike. PennDOT’s commitment to preserving native habitats promotes environmental changes, making sure that Pennsylvania’s highways contribute positively to the ecosystem while also addressing the needs of pollinators and the surrounding environment.
Monarchs Rely on Turnpike Milkweed
Every fall, monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles to reach Mexico. Pennsylvania serves as a key waypoint for the butterflies on this journey, with pollinator habitats along the Turnpike acting as crucial way stations. These habitats which are rich in milkweed, the only plant where monarchs lay their eggs, provide essential nourishment and shelter for these travelers. By protecting and expanding these habitats, PennDOT helps ensure the survival of monarchs, whose populations have faced significant declines in recent years. These efforts also highlight the connection of different ecosystems, as the monarch’s journey depends on a chain of well-maintained habitats. This program not only preserves one of nature’s most impressive migrations but also educates the public about the importance of conservation.
Turnpike Commission Earns Environmental Award
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission earned national acclaim with the 2023 Diamond Award in Environmental Engineering for its Pollinator Habitat Pilot Project. This innovative effort turned highway rights-of-way into flourishing habitats for bees and butterflies and utilized conservation mowing and pollinator-friendly planting. The project not only supports vital species but also reduces maintenance costs and enhances roadside stability. By showcasing the potential of sustainable transportation practices, the Commission has set a guideline for integrating conservation into infrastructure. The project’s success has inspired similar initiatives nationwide and has proven that ecological responsibility and infrastructure can go together.
Sarah Whitney Leads Biodiversity Efforts
Sarah Whitney, the director of Pennsylvania Sea Grant, has been an adversary for ecological restoration and biodiversity. Her work in managing invasive species and promoting sustainable ecosystems ties directly to PennDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Plan. Whitney’s expertise in protecting native species provides a foundation for integrating pollinator-friendly species into landscapes, such as highway rights-of-way. By addressing invasive species that threaten critical habitats, she helps pave the way for native plants like milkweed and goldenrod to flourish which are key components of PennDOT’s roadside pollinator areas. Through partnerships, public education, and her commitment to resilient ecosystems, Whitney shows how strategic environmental practices can protect pollinator populations while supporting Pennsylvania’s broader conservation goals.
Resources
Pollinator Habitat Plan | Department of Transportation | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (n.d.). https://www.penndot.pa.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/RoadDesignEnvironment/Environment/environmental-policy/Pages/Pollinator-Habitat-Plan.aspx
Pollinator Initiative | PA Turnpike. (n.d.). Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC). https://www.paturnpike.com/responsibility-matters/sustainability/pollinator-overview/pollinator-initiative
Pollinators. (n.d.). FWS.gov. https://www.fws.gov/initiative/pollinators
Sarah Whitney – Pennsylvania Sea Grant. (2023, October 18). Pennsylvania Sea Grant. https://seagrant.psu.edu/about/sarah-whitney/