Habitat Zone 1: Perry Pollinator Habitat

The Perry Rest Area pollinator habitat demonstrates a variety of habitats dependent on various soil types, sunlight availability, and groundwater depth. The site has been planted primarily with native plants that occur specific to this region and areas with similar conditions. These plants are long-lived and deep-rooted, need little water, and do not need to be replanted each year because of their perennial nature or ability to re-seed on their own. The result is an aesthetically pleasing habitat that benefits wildlife, sustains itself, and potentially reduces maintenance costs. The result is a wide range of pollinators due to the diverse types of plant communities that provide the resources they need to reproduce, forage, and overwinter.  

Audio 1 Transcription (audio time, minutes 3:13):

Welcome to the Perry Rest Area Habitat! What is a pollinator? A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from one plant to another and allows it to produce fruits, seeds, and young plants. 

Pollinators are critical to the food we consume and our agricultural economy. An estimated 275,000 different animal species help with pollination including birds, bats, butterflies, beetles, and bees. Many areas of agriculture depend on pollinators; pollinators boost harvest amount and quality, create value for farmers, and drive the global food supply. Pollination also contributes about half a trillion dollars in annual global food production. 

With pollinator numbers in decline, state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) recognize the benefit of enhancing roadside habitats to help sustain native pollinator populations and act as “waystations” for migrating pollinators, such as monarch butterflies. This includes the Utah Department of Transportation; or better known as UDOT to boost our pollinator population.  

The Perry Rest Area is the first rest area in the state of Utah to be converted into a pollinator habitat. Once this pilot project is successfully established, it may also serve as a seed source for other UDOT properties in the state to be transformed into pollinator habitat. These areas will not only represent a diverse array of habitats in different regions and ecological zones but will connect habitats throughout the state for pollinators to thrive, migrate, and extend their range.

This pollinator habitat has been planted primarily with native plants that occur specific to this region and areas with similar conditions. These plants are long-lived and deep-rooted, they need little water, and do not need to be replanted each year because of their perennial nature or ability to re-seed on their own. The result is an aesthetically pleasing habitat that benefits wildlife, sustains itself, and potentially reduces maintenance costs. 

The Perry Rest Area demonstrates a variety of habitats dependent on various soil types, sunlight availability, and groundwater depth. The habitats here include a wetland area, dry and wet meadow types, a demonstration garden with appealing and easy-to-grow plants suitable for home gardens, and a habitat to illustrate what you can do to support our native bees.

We hope you enjoy your walk around the path as you observe these habitats. Pay close attention to the native plants used in the habitat and the pollinators they support. For more information about this site and Utah pollinators, click the QR code on the sign.

This is Becky Yeager, Wildlife Ecologist and Environmental Consultant.