University of St. Thomas
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications

The University's Office of Sustainability Initiatives maintains the following social media accounts:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USTOSI
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/UST_OSI
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SustainableStThomas/

The Pollinator Path at the University of St Thomas consists of a series of garden beds and planters that have been designated as “sites” because they have plantings that illuminate a particular lesson about the relationship between ornamental plants and pollinators. There are nine sites across campus, and each site has a sign that highlights up to three plants featured in that site. In addition, there are three introductory signs with boxes containing flyers with a map of the sites.

The signs also have a set of icons that are either grayed out or in green to show which types of pollinators are attracted to the flowers at this particular site: bumble and other native bees, honey bees, butterflies, moths, syrphid flies, and beetles. The sites with higher floral diversity and more Minnesota native plants have all of the icons in green, whereas a bed of daylilies has them all grayed out – showing that this ubiquitous garden plant does not provide pollen or nectar to pollinators. The signs also feature a “Path Fact” along the bottom – an easily grasped fact about pollinators, accompanied by a custom graphic illustrating that fact. These facts focus on the issues pertaining to the decline in bee populations, and information about bee habitat and habits, both for honey bees and Minnesota native bees.
https://cas.stthomas.edu/departments/areas-of-study/biology/facilities/pollinator-path/

While the University does not have a comprehensive sustainability walking map, the University produced a walking map for the pollinator path sites on campus. The map is available online: https://cas.stthomas.edu/_media-library/_documents/biology-pollinator-path-map.pdf

Although the University does not currently produce a formal guide for green living, Residence Life at St. Thomas incorporates information about sustainability into the materials and programs for students living on campus. The University also offers a first-year Sustainability Living Learning Community, where residents learn about sustainability together.