Native Pollinator Habitat Project

Cultivating Life: Claverack's Native Pollinator Habitat Project

At Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative, our commitment extends beyond delivering reliable power; it encompasses the health and vitality of our local environment. We are thrilled to introduce our innovative Native Pollinator Habitat Project, a significant initiative transforming a portion of our headquarters' lawn in Wysox, Pennsylvania, into a vibrant ecosystem for essential pollinators.

Why Pollinators? Why Now?

Pollinators – including bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, wasps, and even some birds – are the unsung heroes of our ecosystem. They are crucial for the reproduction of countless plants, including many of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that make up our food supply. Unfortunately, pollinator populations are declining at an alarming rate. By creating this dedicated habitat, Claverack is directly contributing to:

Biodiversity: Supporting a rich variety of plant and insect life.
Ecosystem Health: Providing vital resources for pollinators to thrive, which in turn supports local agriculture and natural landscapes.
Environmental Stewardship: Demonstrating our cooperative's dedication to sustainable practices and ecological responsibility.

Our Journey: Creating a Thriving Habitat

This ambitious project has involved careful planning and dedicated effort, transforming a traditional lawn into a flourishing natural space:

Strategic Planning: We began with detailed meetings and site evaluations, including soil sampling, to determine the ideal native seed mixes for our specific environment.
Thoughtful Design: A dedicated design team, including Claverack employees, meticulously mapped out planting areas. Considerations included slope, visibility, and aesthetics to ensure a beautiful and functional habitat.
Site Preparation: We carefully prepared the site by mowing borders and access paths, then applied herbicide to ensure the native plants could establish without competition from existing grasses. Informative signs were also installed to welcome visitors and explain the project's purpose.
Planting for the Future: In April 2025, we proudly partnered with Pheasants Forever to sow a diverse mix of native seeds using a specialized tractor and no-till grain drill. Oats were used as a "nurse crop" to help distribute the seeds and provide initial cover.

Pollinator Area Before Work Began. This is a drone photo of the area at the beginning of our project.

Pollinator Area Preparation. This is a drone photo of the area after the boundaries had been marked and mowed.

Seed Mix Design. This shows the graphic representation of the seed mixes to be planted based on the soil samples we collected.

Initial Planning Meeting. Members of our planning team from left to right: Laura & Mike Jackson, Consultants, Nancy Baker, Claverack Member, Kevin Brown, Bradford County Conservation District, Jason Diaferio, Pheasants Forever/NRCS, and Brian Zeidner, Director of Claverack Member Services.

Soil Samples Collected. Soil samples were collected and tested to determine the fertility of the soil as well as the optimum type of pollinator seed mix for each plot.

Site Evaluation. Considering the possibilities onsite with our partners. Shown from left to right: Mike Jackson, Consultant, Jason Diaferio, Pheasants Forever/NRCS, Brian Zeidner, Director of Claverack Member Services, Laura Jackson, Consultant, Nancy Baker, Claverack Member, and Kevin Brown, Bradford County Conservation District.

Design Team. Members of Claverack's employee design team from left to right: Steve Allabaugh, CEO, Brian Zeidner, Member Services Director, Brennan Coates, Field Service Technician, Abram Bennett, Engineering Intern 2024, and Robert English, Engineering Intern 2024.

Intentional Design. The team considers slope, visibility, aesthetics, site access, and future growth.

GPS Layout. Brennan marks points for the plot edges.

Visualizing the Design. Site borders and access paths were mowed to easily identify the plots.

Rovendale Provides Needed Equipment. Shown from left to right: Gabe Johnson, Rovendale Ag & Barn, Darvin Rovenolt, Rovendale Ag & Barn, Brian Zeidner, Director of Claverack Member Services, and Jason Diaferio, Pheasants Forever/NRCS.

Applying Herbicide. To eliminate competition, established grasses need to be removed so future native flowers and plants will thrive.

Drilling Holes. We used a Claverack line truck to drill the holes for the sign posts.

Sign Construction. Due to expected wind conditions, our 4 ft. x 8 ft. sign required treated 6 x 6 posts.

Sharing the Vision. As we develop our site, we will install a permanent sign at this location. In addition, there will be informative signs located at the landing area as well as within the plots.

Hooking Up the Tractor. Claverack partnered with the local chapter of Pheasants Forever to plant the seeds for our native pollinator habitat area. They provided the tractor, no-till grain drill, and operator. We are grateful for their assistance!

Loading the Seed. Jason Diaferio, Certified Wildlife Biologist with Pheasants Forever, and Brian Zeidner, Claverack’s Director of Member Services, load the drill with a blend of native fine and fluffy seeds. Oats are used as a nurse crop to help distribute the fluffy seeds.

Tractor and Drill at Work. Claverack, along with our valued partners, planted seeds on three acres of former lawn that will transform into native pollinator habitat. The native plants should grow this summer and continue to mature over the next few years, providing exceptional color and habitat for bees, wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies, months, and birds.

Seeds beginning to sprout. We started to see the results of our no-till seeder in June 2025. It was great to see progress beginning.

Flowers start to bloom. Patience pays off! After expectantly waiting to see how the pollinator plots would fare with the rainy spring conditions, the first flowers appeared in the warm July sun!

Colorful coverage abounds. As the summer progressed, our pollinator habitat flourished with beautiful blooms for bees and butterflies to enjoy. Additional flower species will appear in the coming years!

Looking Ahead

We are excited to watch this habitat mature and flourish over the coming years, growing into a dynamic and beautiful home for a multitude of pollinators. This project is a testament to the power of collaboration, working alongside valuable partners such as expert consultants, the Bradford County Conservation District, Ernst Seeds, and Pheasants Forever.

We invite you to visit our headquarters in Wysox to see the progress of our Native Pollinator Habitat Project firsthand. Stay tuned to this page for ongoing updates, articles, and new photos detailing the growth and evolution of this vital environmental initiative!

Our Valued Partners & Sponsors

This vital environmental initiative would not be possible without the incredible support and expertise of our dedicated partners and sponsors. We extend our sincere gratitude to them. Their commitment to environmental stewardship is truly inspiring, and we are proud to work alongside them to enhance our local ecosystem.

In the News: Additional Reading

Interested in learning more about the Claverack Native Pollinator Habitat Project? Explore these articles from various publications that highlight our efforts and the importance of pollinator conservation: