The Bee Line
The Bee Line is being grown in St. Paul!
Residents of the Frogtown and Hamline Midway neighborhoods have been working along Pierce Butler for about 6 years to enhance the roadside planting with native pollinator plants. In 2022 a dedicated group of folks from these communities, with the help of Frogtown Green and the Hamline Midway Coalition, were awarded a Lawns to Legumes demonstration grant (from the state of Minnesota) for a 2 year effort to increase native pollinator habitat along their shared northern border of Pierce Butler Route.
| What is ‘The Bee Line’? | |
A completed Bee Line will be a 2.25-mile planted corridor along a transit-way already inhabited by Rusty Patched Bumblebees. The greenway will comprise a series of pollinator-beneficial, native plantings: large perennial gardens; rain gardens, trees and shrub groves; and a meadow. The corridor follows Pierce Butler Rte in north St Paul, from the intersection of Dale St and Minnehaha Ave to Newell Park, just beyond the Snelling/Pierce Butler entrance ramp. Parts of the Bee Line are already in place, including Monarch City Gardens near Dale and Minnehaha; Pierce Butler Meadows near Snelling; and the west anchor, Newell Park. With Lawns to Legumes support, we will link existing and new elements into a more united corridor. This phase of development will shorten the distance between pollinator-friendly areas to a half-mile—the typical foraging distance of the Rusty Patched Bumblebee. |
| The Bee Line will benefit pollinators--and people. | |
| It will multiply pollinator habitat in an area already inhabited by Rusty Patched Bumblebees. It will offer venues for learning and training about more pollinator-sensitive ways to maintain urban roadways. Most important, it will enlist neighborhood residents in helping to cultivate sustainable, pollinator-friendly beauty, along a neglected industrial truck route. | |
| The Bee Line will tackle environmental goals. | |
| By reducing mowing needs, increasing tree canopy, reducing soil erosion and absorbing stormwater, the Bee Line will demonstrate measures to address the impacts of climate change in urban neighborhoods and along roadways. |
| The Bee Line will be beautiful. | |
| As bikers and drivers travel along the abundantly planted Bee Line right-of-way, and as pedestrians visit its demonstration gardens, they will be vividly reminded of the importance of pollinators and native flora. The plantings and accompanying signage will demonstrate many ways to increase urban pollinator habitat, from boulevard strips to rain gardens, meadows, shrub groves and trees. |
The pollinators and the people living near The Bee Line extend a gracious thank you to all the contributors who have helped restore native plants and pollinators along its length. Our collective actions will make a big impact on the urban local environment surrounding the county-owned Pierce Butler Route.
In additions to a grant from the Lawns to Legumes state allocation, the Hamline Midway Coalition and Frogtown Green are grateful to a number of collaborating individuals, programs and sponsors:
Free Trees programs in both neighborhoods of Frogtown (TreeFrogs) and Hamline Midway ( Hamline Midway Environment Committee) which gets support from multiple foundations and donors such as the Friends School of Minnesota, Tree Trust, BNSF Railway Foundation, Earthkeepers at Hamline Church, AmeriCorps, Cash Money Ryders MC, and dozens of volunteers.
The MnSEED project (supported by Capitol Region Watershed District, The Minnesota State Horticultural Society and Como Community Seed Library),
Stewards of Monarch City
Volunteers for Pierce Butler Meadow
The Seedling Corps volunteers
The Como Park neighborhood Lawns to Legumes project
The Bee Line consultants: Dr. Elaine Evans, Hannah Texler and Audrey Matson Lies
Community members across St Paul near the neighborhoods of Hamline Midway & Frogtown who have started seeds, collected seeds, attended planting dates, built tree gravel beds, weeded, moved mulch, transported materials, lent tools, irrigated plantings and contributed to planning, drafting, & celebrating these collective greening milestones.
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Calling All Green Thumbs! We need YOU to be a Seedling Corps member.
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Join other Frogtown and Hamline Midway nearby neighbors and become a “Seedling Corps” member! Grow pollinator plants, or bare root trees outdoors, at your residence that will be planted along The Bee Line later this autumn. The plants, containers, soil, and any other needed materials are provided. You provide the space and a bit of daily tending, like watering, scouting, and repotting. This is an easy way to get involved in the local movement to restore native plants and pollinators and make a significant impact on our local environment.
The Role of a Seedling Corps Member:
In May or early June, Seedling Corps members will receive upcycled containers (lettuce boxes, milk jugs) of newly emerged seedlings grown from winter sown seeds. Or, members receive tree pots, gravel and bare root trees. Members can choose the amount and types that work best for their space.
From spring to fall, monitor the plants and water daily.
For perennials, repot plants into potting soil once during the season.
Fall planting! Your plants will be collected for planting at Pierce Butler Meadow. Join us for these dates too.
Requirements to be a Seedling Corps Member:
Some experience gardening or growing trees.
Approximately a 3 ft x 10 ft of yard space where you live for the seedling station.
Water the seedlings or tree pots every day (unless a substantial rain has occurred).
Most Seedling corps members cover the water expenses, but there are funds available to support needed supplies and more if needed.
Register your interest in being on the Seedling Corps at this linked form
or email trees@hamlinemidway.org
Sow some pollinator plants for The Bee Line!
You can be part of The Bee Line growing machine!
From February through April, Winter Sowing Kits to make “mini-greenhouses” are being shared with the Midway and Frogtown neighborhoods as an activity where community members can collectively grow native-pollinator plants for use in our area. Pollinator plants grown with these kits can be used in backyards or shared back to our local community spaces that have native plantings, like Pierce Butler Meadow and the Bee Line. Kits come with hand-drawn instructions created by local artist, Gita Ghei, and all the material needed including native pollinator plant seeds harvested locally by community members. Once the mini-greenhouses are prepared, they go outdoors right-away to germinate as spring emerges. Kits will be available at community little free cabinets, or as a group activity. After plants emerge, arrangements for collecting seedlings you won’t use can be made.
Where to find a kit:
1) Bee Line native-plant-propagation kits its are being stocked at 6 neighborhood kiosks, locations
Midway
Little Free Florist kiosk on Englewood Ave, between Aldine & Wheeler avenues 55104
Little Seed Library at 1318 Minnehaha Ave (near Minnehaha and Hamline Aves) 55104
Little Free Library at southwest corner of Charles Ave & Pascal St, 55104
Frogtown
The Lily Pad Community Garden kiosk on the southwest corner of Dale St and Lafond Ave, 55014
The little free cabinet at 843 Van Buren Avenue in the Frogtown neighborhood, 55104
Frogtown Community Center, 230 Como Ave, St Paul, MN 55103
2) The Bee Line can come to your group! We can bring materials for a group activity at your location. Reach out to Trees@hamlinemidway.org to inquire.
3) Individuals or households in the Midway or Frogtown neighborhoods of St. Paul can also request kits for pick-up or delivery. Requests for those can also be sent to Trees@hamlinemidway.org.
