Sorority Plants Pollinator Garden at Appalachian Panhellenic Hall
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In an effort to partner closer with sustainability initiatives on campus and strengthen Appalachian’s commitment to the Bee Campus USA designation, the sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority partnered with the Office of Sustainability and Campus Landscape Services to install a pollinator garden space at Appalachian Panhellenic Hall. Steffy Guigou, AOPi member and Sustainability Ambassador, came up with the idea to add the pollinator garden at the APH after researching sustainability efforts by Greeks at other campuses.
“I spoke to the Office of Sustainability and Landscaping, and we figured out what pollinator-friendly plants would do well in that space,” says Guigou. “As it turned out, most of the plants could be moved from other areas on campus, or purchased through funds designated for pollinator plants, so it all fell into place.”
Guigou brought up the idea with her sorority sisters and they were excited to be a part of the project. She says that her ideal outcome from this project would be the education and inclusion of the other Greek organizations on campus. “I would love for other sororities to be involved- to create a connection between Greek life and sustainability.”
She has big plans for the future of the project: “When this relationship is established after this pilot garden, I would love to have Greek life pollinator gardens all over campus. It could work into the Greek Games service day, and we could have planting days as well.”
In addition to planting the garden, sisters and volunteers threw seed balls onto the hill behind the APH, so the plants can encourage more wild areas for pollinator insects and birds.
Species included in the planting at APH include:
- Penstemon 'Husker's Red'
- Monarda bee balm
- Asclepia tuberosa
- asclepia incarnata
- Liatris spicata
- Joe Pye 'Little Joe'
- Purple Cone
- Shasta Daisy
- Yarrow
- Wild bergamot
- Goldenrod 'wrinkle leaf'
Steffey Guigou (second from right) and the sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi decided to plant the garden to bring awareness to the importance of pollinators and forge a relationship between the Office of Sustainability and the Greek community at Appalachian.
