John Reiter, an Eagle Scout with Bordentown’s Boy Scout Troop 13, achieved the rank of Eagle Scout by organizing and implementing the installation of a pollinator garden in Terry Field. Part of the garden is a monarch butterfly waystation.
The intent of the garden is to assist in the pollination process. Reiter says that roughly a third of the food we eat is a direct result of pollination process, including fruits, vegetables and nuts.
The monarch butterfly waystation is filled with nectar, producing plants for them to feed off and milkweed for them to lay their eggs. The setup is intended to help the monarchs during their migration south and will help this endangered species grow.
Reiter worked with a professional landscape architect to design the garden. All of the plants and grasses are native to New Jersey. Reiter raised all the money needed to create the garden through donations and a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The garden is certified by the National Wildlife Foundation and the North American Butterfly Association.
Scouts from Troop 13 and some personal friends spent eight hours on a Saturday afternoon in August planting more than 80 plants and grasses of various types. The garden was installed with the blessing of the Bordentown Township Committee.
“I wanted to do something that helps the environment. I wanted my project to have some kind of impact,” Reiter said.
He got the idea for the garden from an article he read about pollination and how important it is to our crops.
“We would have no food to eat if pollinating animals had no pollinator plants,” Reiter said. “And as long as I was creating a garden, I thought it would be nice to do something to help the monarch butterfly, which is endangered. I am happy with the end result. I hope the garden serves its intended purpose.”
