​Indiana, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is announcing a conservation project beginning next Spring at the State Route 119/286 and State Route119/110 intersections in Indiana County.

The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania recently was awarded two National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) grants from the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund.  The Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund supports work that advances the conservation of the monarch butterfly and other at-risk native insect pollinators.

The grant will improve more than 150 acres of rights of way in Pennsylvania to provide habitat for monarchs and pollinators through the planting of native species and monitoring bumblebees.

As part of the grant, a portion of State Route 119 will benefit with the addition of milkweed plants and 20 species of native nectar plants and clump-forming grasses for nesting.

These plants will attract monarch butterflies as well as support rusty-patched bumblebees, yellow banded bumblebees and other imperiled bumblebees and pollinators.

MEDIA CONTACT: Tina Gibbs at 724-357-2829 or chgibbs@pa.gov.

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