by Kate Shunney
Park Naturalist Valerie Chaney championed a pollinator plot a few years back at Cacapon State Park, in partnership with an effort to attract and study Monarch butterflies, which face tough competition for their needed habitat.
Today, that “plot” has grown into a two-acre wildflower meadow that is literally buzzing with vitality and signs of success.
A select variety of native wildflowers has been planted near the park’s Old Inn, between the park road to the stables and the golf course area. Plants sporting yellow, blue, white, red and purple blooms grow at least two feet high, with some sections even taller.
Among the plants are false sunflowers, hound’s tongue, milkweed, oxeye daisy and prairie coneflower.
Milkweed is a particularly vital plant for monarch butterflies to feed on during their lengthy migration.
Chaney said in the meadow, park and naturalist partners conduct research for monarch butterflies, doing adult monarch butterfly counts and catching and tagging wild monarchs that are migrating through in peak migration of mid-September.
A wide path is mowed down through the middle of the meadow for visitors to enjoy and for naturalist programs to follow.
Keeping the meadow thriving requires ongoing improvements and study. Chaney said more plant varieties have been added to the fields to attract the intended audience – pollinators who need a way station along their journeys.
“This spring we ordered native seeds from Roundstone Native Seed Company….this mix was recommended by our WV DNR Pollinator Biologist Gabrielle Lawringer. These seeds add more focus on fall native plants like goldenrod and asters. We also added more native milkweed to this mix,” said Chaney.
“More fall plants will help generation 4, or the super generation of monarchs born in late July/August and migrating south to Mexico in September,” she noted.
As part of a pollinator field management plan, the park had its first prescribed/controlled burn in March 2024 with help of West Virginia Forestry.
“Prescribed burns help with vegetation management to help control the growth of unwanted wood plants or grasses,” Chaney explained. It’s an ancient land management tool that can also activate dormant seeds in the soil to germinate.
With nutrient cycling, the fire consumes dead plant material, and releases nutrients back into the soil to promote new growth.
“These native plants support native insects and birds…the pollinator garden is supportive of all pollinators and in the afternoon is full of a variety of bees and other butterflies; usually large number of goldfinches are seen hanging on and eating the seed husks on certain flowers; several bluebird houses have been placed along this path; evening sunsets and colors are just gorgeous,” Chaney said.
A visit to the fields reveals buzzing insects and swooping birds, all interacting with one another and the plants that provide food they need.
Park officials still have challenges to face with maintaining the pollinator field, primarily non-native invasive grasses, thistle and even poison hemlock growing among the wildflowers. Their effort continue to swap out the invaders for more of the flowers that fuel our native ecosystem. 
photos by Kate Shunney