How do we recognize and promote the importance of native species on campus and in other urban spaces?

The Tufts Pollinator Initiative (TPI) is a group on campus cultivating native plant gardens that encourage pollinators, while also advocating pollinator outreach and education off campus, too. Hear from TPI President Blythe Elderd about the history of the organization and how their work offers a model for cultivating civic responsibility at Tufts and beyond. You’ll also take home a seed medley grown in our very own Tufts gardens to keep the momentum growing.

Registration required, all are welcome. Lunch provided.

Blythe Elderd is a senior at Tufts University studying Biology and Environmental Studies, with a minor in Urban Studies. She became involved with the Tufts Pollinator Initiative (TPI) in 2023 through her interest in urban ecology and serve as the club's president. Beyond campus, Blythe has worked in both the ecological field and urban planning, which has shaped her focus on the intersection of ecology and urban spaces.

This event is cosponsored by the Environmental Studies Program and the Office of Sustainability.

This lunch is part of From Tufts, Forward, our semester-long Civic Life Lunch theme exploring how the Tufts community carries ideas forward on campus, in local communities, and far beyond. Each event reflects the momentum we create together through creativity, dialogue, and civic responsibility, and how that momentum extends into lasting impact.