Photo courtesy of Housatonic Habitat for Humanity

Housatonic Habitat for Humanity, the Danbury-area branch of the housing charity, is teaming up with a master gardener and environmental activist group Pollinator Pathways to plant pesticide-free gardens at homes it builds.

Pollinator Pathways Northeast encourages homeowners and businesses to restore pollinator habitats by planting native plants, eliminating pesticides and rescuing lawns.

Across the country, bees and other pollinators crucial to agriculture and the flowering plants in the nation’s local ecosystems are suffering significant declines in their numbers. While research is inconclusive as to the cause, scientists suggest habitat loss and over-use of pesticides could play a part, along with climate change causing shifts in when certain plant species bloom.

“Since we often put in lawns at our homes, I thought that creating pollinator gardens without chemicals, watering, ongoing maintenance of traditional gardens would be cost effective and sustainable,” Fran Normann, Housatonic Habitat’s executive director, said in a statement.

The nonprofit is planning to plant the gardens at homes it builds in addition to in front of its ReStore location in Danbury, with the help of local Master Gardener Karen Boshka and teams of volunteers. The group is also encouraging local homeowners associations to follow suit.