The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Agricultural Resources, and the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association announced the return of the Growing Wild campaign, offering free pollinator-friendly plant kits to residents across the state.
The program, as it enters its sixth season, aims to create habitats for bees, butterflies and other pollinators, according to a community announcement.
The Growing Wild campaign will distribute kits at 21 nurseries and six DCR parks. The kits include two native perennials, native seed packets and educational materials on cultivating a pollinator-friendly garden. Among the sponsors is Mahoney’s Garden Center in Falmouth.
The kits will be available at several locations, including:
The park at Waquoit Bay – East FalmouthMiddlesex Fells Reservation (Flynn Rink) – MedfordLawrence Heritage State Park (Riverfront Park) – LawrenceBlackstone River Greenway (Worcester Visitor Center) – WorcesterHolyoke Heritage State Park – HolyokeClarksburg State Park – Clarksburg
A full list of locations can be found on the DCR’s website.
The campaign is also partnering with Tribal communities in Massachusetts to provide kits that include native plant species of cultural significance.
Pollinators play a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting the food supply. Bees, butterflies and other insects move pollen between plants, helping flowers, fruits, vegetables and native species to grow and reproduce.
“Pollinators are important to healthy ecosystems, local farms, and the food we rely on,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Native plants support bees and other insects while also creating landscapes that can better handle drought and heavy rain. Growing Wild helps residents plant species that use less water, thrive in Massachusetts conditions, make our communities healthier and more resilient.”
All Massachusetts gardeners can join the state’s effort to protect pollinator habitats by registering their gardens on the Massachusetts Pollinator Map, a growing visual record of native plantings across the state.
Residents are also encouraged to “Pledge Your Garden” on the Growing Wild Partnership webpage and join a statewide network of pollinator-friendly plantings.
Since its launch in 2021, and including the 2026 Growing Wild season, the Growing Wild campaign will have distributed more than 22,000 native plants through its complimentary starter kits, resulting in an estimated 12 acres of new pollinator habitat across 10 counties and 37 towns throughout Massachusetts, according to the announcement.
Last year, Growing Wild received the National Association of State Park Directors’ Innovation Award in recognition of its efforts to expand pollinator habitats and engage the public in conservation across Massachusetts.
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