School Pollinator Gardens on the Upswing in the Community
Over the past few years, The Howard Hughes Corporation® (HHC), developer of the master-planned community of Summerlin®, has made school gardens in Summerlin elementary and middle schools a priority by providing funding to underwrite garden farms as a teaching tool. Today, Hughes has expanded that focus with the help of its nonprofit partner, Green Our Planet, to add pollinator gardens at several Summerlin schools. Pollinator gardens are home to native flowering species and milkweed plants that attract butterflies, insects and bees – ultimately serving as an oasis for native pollinators and adding another level of learning for students.
According to Tom Warden, Senior Vice President, Community and Government Relations for Summerlin, HHC provides initial funding and Green Our Planet provides the expertise and know-how to make school gardens a reality. Gardens are incorporated into the curriculum for a number of subjects and can be used to teach math, biology, environmental sciences and even business principles.
“Plus, we strive to promote a healthy, active outdoor lifestyle, and tending a garden is a physical activity that gets kids out of the classroom,” said Warden. “The new pollinator gardens are an exciting addition to our already successful school garden program, and we couldn’t be more excited that Summerlin students will experience and see first-hand the migration of butterflies, bees and insects to better understand their life cycles and the importance of pollinators to plant and food growth.”
According to Kim MacQuarrie, co-founder and co-CEO, Green Our Planet, pollinator gardens include a variety of native vegetation, including Milkweed, to attract pollinator insects and also the spectacular Monarch Butterfly as it migrates from the Rocky Mountains to and from California each spring and fall.
“Monarch butterflies, in particular, have been at dangerously low levels for years, so helping to create a nutrient rich spot for them to rest along their migration journey is critical to the survival of the species and the overall well-being of our environment,” said MacQuarrie. “In fact, we are working to get each of our pollinator gardens certified as nationally-recognized Monarch Butterfly Way Stations. It’s an exciting opportunity for the kids to experience the magic, beauty and significance of our natural world.”
Today, Green Our Planet has built more than 180 school gardens throughout Clark County School District, and 50 of these gardens also have pollinator gardens. In Summerlin, eight public schools have gardens thanks to generous funders including The Howard Hughes Corporation and others. This spring, HHC will fund six pollinator gardens at schools throughout the community.
“Teaching children how to grow their own food and getting them excited and interested in gardening is not just a trend, it’s a way of life,” said MacQuarrie. “Best of all, gardening engages and connects people with healthy food, and kids truly love to eat what they grow.”
In total, Summerlin currently offers more than 160 floor plans in 36 neighborhoods throughout nine distinct villages. Homes are available in a variety of styles – from single-family homes to townhomes, priced from the low $300,000s to more than $1 million.
PHOTO CAPTION: Students at Doral Academy in Summerlin learn in one of many school gardens funded by The Howard Hughes Corporation (HHC). HHC is currently working with nonprofit partner, Green Our Planet, to create pollinator gardens at Summerlin schools that are home to native flowering species and milkweed plants that attract butterflies, insects and bees – ultimately serving as an oasis for native pollinators and adding another level of learning for students.
About Summerlin
Developed by The Howard Hughes Corporation, Summerlin began to take shape in 1990 and has ranked in the country’s top 10 best-selling master-planned communities for nearly two decades. Located along the western rim of the Las Vegas valley, Summerlin encompasses 22,500 acres with approximately 6,000 gross acres still remaining to accommodate future growth, including infrastructure, open space and common areas, all within the master plan. The community is currently home to nearly 100,000 residents who enjoy an unparalleled list of amenities. These include more than 250 neighborhood and village parks, more than 150 completed miles of trails, 27 public and private schools, 14 houses of worship, ten golf courses, shopping centers, medical and cultural facilities, business parks and dozens of actively selling floor plans. Homes are available in a variety of styles – from single-family homes to townhomes– priced from the $300,000s to more than $2.5 million. For information on custom homesites in The Ridges please call 702.255.2500. Luxury apartment homes offer monthly rents starting from the $900s.
About The Howard Hughes Corporation®
The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Our properties include master planned communities, operating properties, development opportunities and other unique assets spanning 14 states from New York to Hawai‘i. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC with major offices in New York, Columbia, MD, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas and Honolulu. For additional information about HHC, visit www.howardhughes.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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