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By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
HART TOWNSHIP — Motorists traveling on US 31 freeway north of Tyler Road most likely have noticed a small plot of sunflowers growing in the median. The 1.7 acres of grey mammoth sunflowers is part of a resource management project by the Michigan Department of Transportation to increase pollinators. This is the first year the sunflowers were grown in that location but MDOT started its sunflower/pollinator program in 2015 with great success since, according to MDOT Grand Region Resource Analyst Thomas Kitcey.
Kitcey said MDOT has planted seven acres of sunflowers this year in its Grand Region including plots in Oceana, Kent, Ottawa and Wexford counties. It also planted two wildflower plots in Kent County, totaling three acres, and facilitated a two acre milk weed/sunflower plot in Allegan County.
Kitcey said MDOT maintenance crews performed all site preparation and planting.
While MDOT began the program in 2015, the local regional plots began in 2022.
“The intention is to expand the program in the future,” Kitcey said.
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