Dear Teachers and Youth Group Leaders... Thank you for your interest in the PPIC program!

PPIC applications are typically due in late January; however, due to budget and staff restrictions the program will not be offered in Mercer County this year. Please check back, as we hope to continue this wonderful program in the future!

The 2014 program brochure is available here for your reference only. You may contact the Freehold Soil Conservation District with general questions about the program (732-683-8500) or scroll down for a short list of helpful pollinator resources.

The "Plants for Pollinators in the Classroom" program began in 2009 as a partnership between the Assunpink Environmental Institute and the Mercer County Soil Conservation District. With sponsorship from the Freehold Soil Conservation District in 2010, the program expanded to include classrooms in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties. Starting in 2013, teachers in Mercer County had the opportunity to be paired up with a "Garden Pal" volunteer/mentor from the Master Gardeners of Mercer County.

The program seeks to raise awareness about the important services provided by pollinators and the need to increase suitable habitat for native bees and other pollinators. Teachers can apply to receive a "Plants for Pollinators in the Classroom" (PPIC) resource kit containing a two-tiered plant stand with grow lamps, potting soil, seeds and other materials needed to help the students grow butterfly-attracting plants which they later transplant into their schoolyards. Teaching materials, lesson ideas, and posters are also included in the resource kits.