Bethpage State Park Ecology

  Did you know that pollinator conservation and awareness is an integral part of our environmental initiatives at Bethpage State Park? Over the years we have learned that providing forage for hungry butterflies, moths, bees and hummingbirds encourages pollination and facilitates the next generation of plants. This process also helps beautify our park. No greater example exists than within our Picnic Pollinator Garden! Today this garden grows lush and tall. It contains over 100 native plants, blooming as early as April and well into October.      While the intention of creating this garden was to promote biodiversity,  it has led to far more opportunities. The first is offering the local community an outdoor classroom; a chance to explore the plant- insect interactions that make for a thriving, cohesive habitat. The second opportunity is providing an outlet for data collection. In this case, monitoring and documenting pollinating species. Data collected is not just important t