Project Wingspan, a conservation project with Pollinator Partnership, is looking for volunteers who are interested in collecting native seed in their areas to contribute to biodiversity for pollinators. This landscape-scale project expands from Wisconsin into Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Arkansas.
Project Wingspan volunteers help collect seed from a target list of native plants at designated collection sites. All collected seed will be awarded to regionally-appropriate Wisconsin sites with the goal of increasing the quality, quantity, and connectivity of pollinator habitat.
Project Wingspan hosts online training for seed collecting as well as education and technical guidance to land managers. Volunteers work in regional groups to coordinate seed collection at designated sites and each area has a lead volunteer.
This grant funded project runs through 2022, but the Ice Age Trail Alliance hopes to continue supporting pollinators locally and along the Ice Age Trail after Project Wingspan concludes.
By working with the Project Wingspan, trained Alliance volunteers can increase the Alliance-led seed collection program to increase biodiversity and pollinator habitat on Alliance Preserves.
As summer blooms emerge and fade in our local prairies, seed collection follows. To join the efforts to save our precious pollinators please sign up for online training and learn how to support local volunteer efforts.
How to Get Involved:
Seed Collection Training: If you are interested in signing up to volunteer as a seed collector, or to lead a seed collection team, please sign up here to get started. Learn more about seed collection training here.
Land Owner Restoration Efforts: Do you have robust native plant populations on your land and are interested in contributing towards local habitat restoration efforts through Project Wingspan as a seed collection site? Indicate your interest by completing this online form.
Questions? Learn more about Project Wingspan, here, or email the WI State Coordinator, Laura Jach-Smith (ljs@pollinator.org) with any questions on how to get started.
Stay tuned for pollinator protection efforts by the Ice Age Trail Alliance’s Lands Program. Seed collection efforts in Alliance preserves will begin mid-July for volunteers trained through the Project Wingspan program.
