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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION MEETING <br />Monday, July 2, 2018 <br />6:30 o'clock p.m. <br />5. GIRL SCOUT PROJECT — SEVEN NATIONS PARK <br />Georgia Green and Arianna Roban addressed the Park Commission regarding their silver award project at <br />Seven Nations Park. Green stated the silver award is the highest award that a cadet can receive. The <br />main objectives are for the project to be sustainable and to address a problem in the community or <br />improve the community in some fashion. <br />Roban stated pollinators like bees and butterflies are important and need our help. Three-fourths of the <br />world's flowering plants and about 35 percent of the world's food crops depend on pollinators to <br />reproduce. Some scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food people eat exists because of <br />animal pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, birds bats, beetles, and other insects. However, habitat <br />loss and environmental contaminants have contributed to the decline of many species of pollinators. <br />Green stated their goal is to help improve this situation by planting a pollinator garden at Seven Nations <br />Park. This will help improve the problem by including more pollinator plants in an area that does not <br />currently have very many. Green stated they would like to plant swamp milk weed, purple cone flowers, <br />meadow blazing star, black-eyed Susan, New England aster, and bee balm, which are all perennials and <br />will come back every year. The project will include designing three pollinator gardens that will have a <br />natural feel and look compatible with other Minnesota native plants. <br />Green noted the red dots on the map depict the areas that they would like to plant the gardens. <br />Green stated the goals are to incorporate native flowers into a pollinator garden in a park where more <br />wildlife is desired and to benefit the community by attracting more pollinators. Green indicated they <br />would like to complete the project by the end of the summer and that they have enlisted and consulted <br />with a master gardener regarding the placement of plants. The plants will need approximately three years <br />to become fully established. Green stated they have discussed this project with Jason from the City of <br />Orono, who has agreed to ►now the pads that are needed as well as till the soil. The financial cost of the <br />project is $500, which is being requested from the City. <br />Roban stated they have enlisted the help of their troop, family and friends to see that this project is <br />completed. When the project is completed, Roban stated they will have the newspaper write an article <br />about forward thinking and the overall project. <br />Meyers asked if someone from the troop will be maintaining the area for the next three years. <br />Green stated the garden should be fully sustainable and that the flowers will naturally spread. The plants <br />will eventually take over the area and be a wild flower kind of area, but it is anticipated it will be three <br />years before the plants start spreading and fully flourish. <br />Meyers asked if $500 is enough to do three gardens of this size. <br />Green indicated it should be. <br />Johnson stated the Park Commission would be open if they encounter the need for additional money <br />Green indicated the plants will be purchased at wholesale. <br />Page 5 of 11 <br />