ROOT FOR NATURE Announcement
July 19, 2019
R+R ROOTS FOR NATURE WITH NEW INITIATIVE TO RESTORE NATURAL POLLINATORS
Company Announces Plans to Plant Pollinator Gardens in Client Stormwater Basins
DURHAM, NC – R+R has announced a new initiative called ROOT FOR NATURE™ that re-purposes a portion of its clients’ stormwater basins to create pollinator gardens throughout the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico. These gardens combat the recent decline of pollinators, such as bees and monarch butterflies, by planting local flowers and vegetation that will provide a safe habitat for endangered pollinators to thrive.
R+R CEO Richard Matero said, “Stormwater basins are government-mandated stormwater management systems that benefit the environment by combating water pollution and protecting the Earth’s drinking water. R+R’s ROOT FOR NATURE initiative revolutionizes stormwater management by expanding the environmental impact of stormwater basins to also include the re-population of pollinators.”
As they collect nectar, pollinators carry pollen from one plant to another. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation cites that this agriculture reproductive process is essential for more than 2/3 of crops globally and that 100 different crops depend on or benefit from pollinators in the U.S. A study by a task force created by President Obama cites that pollinators add more than $15 billion worth of value to agricultural crops annually and that they are responsible for one in every three bites of food we eat. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), an independent organization affiliated with the United Nations, found that 40% of invertebrate pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are at risk of extinction.
While the gardens can be viewed by consumers, the habitat will be fenced off for the safety of the pollinators and will feature branded and explanatory signage to further educated consumers on the economic and agricultural effects of the decreasing pollinator population. The signage will also indicate where retail customers can receive in-store information for the propriety seed blend.
The gardens will be maintained by R+R as part of the regular stormwater maintenance for its retail clients. The sanctuary gardens will not affect the capabilities of the stormwater basin and R+R will work with the appropriate municipalities to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal stormwater regulations. When necessary, R+R will petition for special permission when any of the plants fall outside of the regulated vegetation. The ROOT FOR NATURE program adapts and expands a study by the University of Minnesota by applying its learning to R+R’s stormwater management retail clients.
About Restoration + Recovery
R+R provides stormwater management services. The company offers commercial, retail, industrial and governmental post-construction stormwater management through stormwater consulting, inspection, maintenance and repairing services. R+R caters to national retailers, logistics providers, engineering firms, healthcare and industrial facilities, schools and universities, real estate management companies, distribution centers, national and multi-state organizations, individual and commercial property owners and airports. R+R was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.
