West Chester, PA (May 13, 2024) – A plot of land along Routes 202 and 100 in West Goshen Township will be designated as a pollinator habitat corridor to create a naturalized garden that supports pollinators, state Senator Carolyn Comitta and state Rep. Kristine Howard announced.
The corridor, established in collaboration with PennDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Plan, will include native plants, wildflowers, and grasses. The program, which PennDOT launched in 2019, grows native pollinator habitats along highways to strengthen pollinator species such as bees, butterflies, moths, and beetles. 
“It can be easy to underestimate just how much pollinators impact our everyday lives – they are vital to our food supply and our environmental health, not to mention so much of the natural beauty we enjoy in Chester County and across Pennsylvania,” said Comitta, who serves as Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. “By establishing pollinator-friendly habitats, not only are we helping these small creatures survive and thrive, but we are also working to ensure a cleaner, healthier, tomorrow.”
“I am thrilled to see this wonderful program taking root,” Rep. Howard said. “In addition to providing a sanctuary for important pollinator species, the plants will also provide benefits for stormwater, infiltration, soil stabilization, and water quality, while reducing the cost of roadside maintenance through minimized mowing needs.”
The process of creating a pollinator habitat includes planting pollinator-friendly seasonal flowers, dispersing seeds to promote continued growth, occasionally monitoring the site for invasives, and implementing integrated vegetation management to keep the habitats flourishing in the long run. Motorists can expect to see initial site preparation work starting this year with full meadow establishment after 2-3 growing seasons.
The proposed pollinator habitat corridor is about a half-acre running along the Route 100 south interchange ramp, intentionally selected as a site where plants and pollinators will be protected from vehicle-inflicted harm.
“Across Pennsylvania, our pollinators are a symbol of peace and renewal that supports the state’s natural health and beauty,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “I thank Senator Comitta and Representative Howard for their companion legislation establishing the Pollinator Conservation Registration Plate and Pollinator Habitat Program Fund that make plantings like this possible.”
In 2022, Comitta and Howard sponsored unanimously approved legislation that created the Pollinator Conservation Registration Plate and the Pollinator Habitat Program Fund. Under Act 112 of 2022, motorists can purchase the specialty license plates to support pollinator-friendly roadside gardens along our state highways.
Comitta is currently working with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to introduce the Plant and Pollinator Protection Act, legislation that aims to better protect Pennsylvania plants and pollinators from the spread of harmful pests and diseases.