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Students, DPW and volunteers plan pollinator garden at school hill; planting targeted for May
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Summary
The Pollinator Committee reported that Northampton High School students, Gardening for the Future and the Department of Public Works (DPW) are coordinating a pollinator garden project on the school hill; planting is planned for May, with soil testing and volunteer maintenance required and initial DPW logistical support available.
Angie Gregory provided an update from the Pollinator Committee, reporting that the group met on Feb. 26 and will meet again on March 26 at 8 a.m. at The Roost. Students in the school environmental club are leading design and volunteer coordination for a proposed pollinator garden on a school hill, and planting is targeted for May.
Committee members said the school maintenance supervisor, Tony Kuznieras, and DPW representative Richard Persiletti participated in the discussion. Persiletti indicated DPW can provide initial logistical support and tools but cannot commit to long‑term maintenance beyond a yearly mow to control woody brush. "DPW can kinda support because they have some of the tools and implements to do so," Gregory said when describing Persiletti's remarks.
The environmental club has some funds on hand (a reported reserve of about $2,500) and expects to pursue additional support through a student union grant and a possible proposal to the NESC fund to cover gaps. The committee discussed arranging soil testing when the ground thaws and working with Rose Schurneff of Gardening for the Future on garden design and volunteer coordination; the club also plans to meet with the NHS principal to obtain school approval.
Because DPW will not provide continuous maintenance, committee members emphasized that the project must rely on organized volunteer labor and a logistical plan to sustain plantings over time. The committee expects to review draft designs with Tony Kuznieras from school maintenance and to coordinate volunteer schedules and materials sourcing, potentially using plant nursery relationships DPW already maintains.
Next steps recorded in the update: obtain soil testing after thaw, secure NHS principal approval, coordinate with Gardening for the Future on a contract or design, pursue student union and NESC funding for remaining costs, and organize volunteers for annual and seasonal maintenance.
