Volunteers help beautify CAFB Published Oct. 31, 2007 By Frank Lockhart 14th Civil Engineer Squadron COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. -- National Public Lands Day was celebrated by Columbus AFB Oct. 20. Celebration activities included the development and planting of the Butterfly Gardens adjacent to the SAC Lake nature trails. The gardens have been made possible through a Legacy Grant from the Nation Environmental Education Foundation for National Public Lands Day projects. The Legacy Grant provided the necessary funds to purchase plants and tools for the Butterfly Garden effort. These gardens were designed, created and established solely by volunteer efforts. Forty-five volunteers, including Boy Scout Troup No. 3, Girl Scout Troop No. 238 and base residents, worked hand-in-hand to complete the final touches on the development of the Columbus AFB Butterfly Gardens. Volunteers planted 10 butterfly bushes, 45 Abelia Grandiflora plants, 10 Harvest Moon Coneflowers and 265 mixed butterfly perennials using planting layouts that were designed by The Briar Patch nursery. Volunteers also seeded areas with Black Eyed Susan, Maximillan Sunflower, Clasping Coneflower, Plain Coreopsis, Butterfly Milkweed and Swamp Rose Mallow. Flower seed were supplied by the USDA Plant Materials Center and a local farmer. This specifically designed mixture of plants will consist of nectar producing plants that provide food for adult butterflies and also plants that provide a food source for the butterfly larvae. The Columbus AFB Butterfly Gardens will provide a place to observe, enjoy and study a diverse population of butterflies. Next summer the garden flowers will provide seed that can be harvested and used by base gardeners.
