Volunteers work to protect native pollinators with new hummingbird garden

(update: adding new video, comments from PPB president)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) - Bend's Orchard Park has now planted a hummingbird habitat thanks to the collaboration of Pollinator Pathway Bend, East Cascades Bird Alliance, and Wild Birds Unlimited.

Bartonek designed the park with help and input from Lisa Sanco and Barb Rumer. The garden uses plants native to the high desert, and is designed to inspire visitors to use native plants in their own yards and gardens.

"There is always something in bloom for them to eat or always something in bloom that attracts the insects that they love to feed on," said Pollinator Pathways President, Gwen Bartonek.  

The Orchard Park garden's plants are sourced locally from Wintercreek Nursery, Great Basin Nursery along with community member Barb Rumer's personal garden.

The initiative to use local plants to promote the health of native hummingbirds and other pollinator species in decline.

"They're in trouble because we lack the habitat. I mean, even in the parks, you have a lot of lawn. You have a lot of introduce species. And the timing of all of those in relation to the timing of when the pollinators wake up and how they reproduce and their habitat is going away.  Our goal is to get that rhythm back," said Bartonek.

Other parks with successful pollinator habitats include Al Moody Park, the Bond/Wall Triangle, Brooks Park and Franklin’s Corner.

You can visit the Pollinator Pathways website to learn more about future gardens, and how you can get involved.