City of Rochester Awarded Grant to Create Pollinator Habitats in Four Parks
City of Rochester Awarded Grant to Create Pollinator Habitats in Four Parks
July 10, 2025 – ROCHESTER, MINN. – The City of Rochester and The Trust for Public Land (TPL) have received a $26,500 Pollinator Pathways Grant from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). This funding will support the conversion of four acres of turf grass into native pollinator habitat at four city parks: Joyce Park, McQuillan Park, Meadow Park and Meadow Park Estates Park.
The project will introduce native flowers, grasses and shrubs to improve biodiversity and provide critical habitat for Monarch butterflies, Rusty Patched Bumble Bees and other at-risk pollinators. Site preparation, including turf removal and herbicide treatments, will begin in summer 2025. Seeding will take place in fall 2025 through early 2026. Maintenance and habitat establishment efforts will continue through 2027 and beyond.
“This is a great opportunity for the City of Rochester to demonstrate environmental stewardship through the creation of habitat and by reducing the time and resource consumption necessary for mowing unused turf grass on a regular basis,” said Jeff Feece, Park Planner.
Public access to the parks will remain open throughout the project. During the preparation and establishment phases, project areas may appear brown or unmaintained, or look like they are under maintenance, as native plantings take root.
To learn more and view maps of the impacted areas, visit the project website.