THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — Birdsong Nature Center’s Old Timey Plant Sale is rallying the Thomasville community to protect endangered native plants and the pollinators that keep Georgia’s food supply and ecosystems alive.
- More than 300 people are expected to stop by Birdsong’s Old Timey Plant Sale to buy over 50 varieties of native and non-native plants, trees, and shrubs.
- Native plants like the Georgia Aster are disappearing, but they’re vital for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators that make 1 out of every 3 bites of food we eat possible.
- The Old Timey Plant Sale takes place this Saturday, October 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and again on Friday, November 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Birdsong Nature Center in Thomasville.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
One out of every three bites of food we eat comes from animal pollinators. But those pollinators depend on native flowers to survive and thrive.
"When the Europeans arrived in America, the whole Southeast was covered in longleaf forests, and I think we've lost 97% of that forest. And that's one of the things that Birdsong does try to do is sort of restore those sort of very, very ecologically rich, you know, hundreds of different species of plants and hundreds of different species of animals on the site here," said Ben White, a volunteer at Birdsong Nature Center in Thomasville.
White says part of their mission is to bring back endangered native plants and sell them to the public.
"I just think it's important when they're endangered. That means if somebody doesn't take care of them, they're going to be gone. It's kind of like, you know, a species of animal disappearing. And most of us prefer that they not disappear," said Yvonne Stinson, a native plant grower.
And those plants aren't just important, they're essential. They provide food and shelter for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths, which keep crops growing and ecosystems balanced. Without them, we lose the foundation of Georgia's food chain.
"Many of the plants that we have here, your native pollinators can feast on and be healthy and reproduce. We need pollinators for food. No pollinators, no food for humans," said Carol Hayes, a former president of Birdsong Nature center.
This weekend, Birdsong will sell more than 50 varieties of native plants, trees, and shrubs.
They're expecting over 300 people and hope the event not only spreads these plants across the region but also raises tens of thousands of dollars to keep their conservation programs running.
If you can't make it to the Old Timey Plant Sale this weekend, Birdsong Nature Center is holding another one on November 8th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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