Get a large group of well-organized, motivated people together for one day and it’s incredible the impact that it can have on improving our environment! (See photo gallery.)

Bayer hosted their annual community service day on Friday, October 7, at the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden. Through a donation of $19,000 and more than 130 employee volunteers, Bayer showcased its commitment to supporting pollinator health and habitat development by assisting in the planting of over 2,000 wildflowers, shrubs, and trees, completing a garden path and helping create a mosaic art feature that will soon be embedded in a pathway near the Arboretum Gazebo.

“We look forward to this service day all year,” said Jon Margolis, Head of Global Biologics Research for Bayer’s Crop Science division and West Sacramento site leader. “Our team has a history of partnering with local organizations to offer service opportunities and projects that help us support sustainable agriculture and environmental practices in the community. Without pollinator insects like honey bees and hummingbirds, many of our crops would cease to exist. Providing healthy habitats and increasing forage for these pollinators are paramount.”

“With Bayer’s help, over the course of only one day, we added an incredible amount of diversity to our native plant meadow where the public can learn more about the value of native plants for supporting the health and conservation of critical pollinators, and how to attract and support them in their own gardens,” said Emily Griswold, director of GATEways horticulture and teaching gardens for the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden. “It’s an incredible opportunity for our campus and the community. We are thrilled that Bayer shares our goal of helping educate others on the importance of pollinators and preserving the integrity of our ecosystem.”