HAMILTON - From fire season to conserving water, a Bitterroot organization's partnership aims to help the environment through the simplest of actions.
The Bitterroot Water Forum has teamed up with Great Bear Native Plants to create special water-wise native plant packs.
"There's not a community in the west right now that's not trying to be more efficient with their water. That is because it's all connected. What we do in our yard influences how much water we're using, which influences how much water is left in the natural waterways, our streams, and our rivers, and our fisheries, and our livelihoods," Bitter Root Water Forum community engagement coordinator Alex Ocañas shared with MTN.
Native plants are those that historically grow in a specific region. They have evolved over time to thrive in their location's weather conditions. This means they've adapted to the natural soil and precipitation in a region so they require less water and little fertilizer or alterations.
The plants also support pollinators like butterflies and bees. The Forum told MTN that the pollinator population is crucial to a thriving environment.
Their website says, "Native pollinators, like bees, birds, beetles, moths, and butterflies, have developed unique relationships and behaviors that can’t always be replicated by non-native species. Thriving pollinator populations require healthy native plant populations and, in turn, encourage stable natural systems and food production."
To learn more or purchase a pack go to https://www.brwaterforum.org/waterwise
