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Pollinators deliver one out of every three mouthfuls of food people eat, and animal pollination supports three-fourths of global crop plants grown for food, spices, beverages, condiments, and medicines. Pollination services to U.S. crops are valued at $10 Billion every year. As development spreads, natural habitats are becoming increasingly rare, while managed landscapes of mowed turf grasses and flowering plants that appeal to people may provide less value for animals and insects. Because of this, pollinators and other species are in trouble. VDOT uses the more than 57,000 road miles in Virginia as an opportunity to create connected habitat corridors, and its Pollinator Habitat Program, begun in 2014, works to create naturalized habitats for these important creatures. These habitats also reduce emissions from mowing, help retain stormwater, and sequester carbon and nutrients. People can also help by creating natural habitats where they live and work.

Virginia · United States