In conjunction with National Pollinator Week, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has resumed online ordering for milkweed seeds through its Project Milkweed initiative. Last year, Project Milkweed distributed 779,601 seed packets across Tennessee. This year, TDOT will offer similar plant species and seed material quantities, with a maximum of 350,000 seed packets available for free to Tennessee residents. Orders will be filled while supplies last and can be placed at https://tnpollinators.org/milkweed/.
TDOT is also seeking feedback from last year’s Project Milkweed seed distribution. The public is encouraged to share pictures from their gardens using the hashtag #TDOTProjectMilkweed on @myTDOT social channels. In 2023, 130,903 individual orders for milkweed seeds were fulfilled. TDOT is interested in hearing whether the seeds have germinated and if blooms are visible.
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The Pollinator Habitat Program was created in 2017 in response to declining populations of pollinator species due to habitat loss, pests, pathogens, and other stressors. The program includes a multi-agency working group and partnerships with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA), and the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA). One of the initiatives, Project Milkweed, aims to restore and preserve habitats for pollinator species in Tennessee by planting milkweed. This effort benefits various pollinators, particularly the threatened monarch butterfly, which relies on milkweed as a host plant for laying eggs and hatching caterpillars.
National Pollinator Week is an annual event focused on educating the public about pollinator species and the ecological challenges they face. This year, it takes place from Monday, June 17th to Sunday, June 23rd. The week aims to inspire actions that protect and restore pollinator populations year-round.
Source: Read Original Release