PATCHOGUE, NY – More than 50 volunteers gathered in Patchogue this past weekend to plant a large pollinator garden on the south side of Great Patchogue Lake. The community-driven project, organized by Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) in partnership with the Village of Patchogue, aims to protect and nurture bee and butterfly populations while reducing polluted stormwater runoff.

The planting event brought together elected officials, students, local families, and community partners on Friday and Saturday to install native plant species carefully selected with community input. The garden is designed to attract bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and other important pollinator species while filtering stormwater before it reaches Patchogue Lake.

“The Patchogue Community came together to protect our lovable bees and butterflies,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “This garden will attract an array of pollinators and has the dual benefit of filtering out polluted stormwater. Using locally grown, native plants, the garden is designed to beautify the area and provide critical habitat and food sources for pollinators.”

The project was funded through a grant awarded in June 2025 by the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the New York Community Trust. The funding comes from a settlement obtained by Attorney General Letitia James in 2023 with Monsanto and Bayer CropScience regarding deceptive marketing of Roundup. The Attorney General and the Trust awarded $3.34 million in grants to 34 organizations, including CCE, to fund pollinator conservation projects across the state.

The initiative addresses a critical environmental concern: New York State beekeepers report losing between 40% to nearly 70% of their hives annually, while 38% of New York’s native pollinators are at risk of extinction.

“The Village of Patchogue is proud to partner with Citizens Campaign for the Environment on this important project to support pollinators, improve water quality, and enhance the natural beauty of Great Patchogue Lake,” said Lori Devlin, Village Clerk and Climate Smart Communities Coordinator for the Village of Patchogue. “We are grateful to the many volunteers, students, families, and community partners whose efforts reflect Patchogue’s strong commitment to environmental stewardship and civic engagement.”

The new pollinator garden represents a collaborative effort between local government, environmental organizations, and community members working together to create sustainable solutions for protecting vital pollinator species and improving local water quality.