Camp10 Nature Garden: A place for pollinators

Bees and butterflies thrive among the wildflowers
By: 
Warren Bluhm
Oconto County Times Herald News Editor

In a secluded area seven miles northeast of the village of Lena, a small patch of wildflowers marks the beginning of a haven for butterflies and bees.

Jeff Behnke is developing a two-acre botanical garden called Camp10 Nature Garden just off North Creek Lane.

“It’s probably about one-fifth done,” Behnke said. “In another couple of years, it’s going to be pretty cool.”

It’s already pretty cool, as monarch, northern crescent and clouded sulphur butterflies, dragonflies and bumblebees flit among a field of wildflowers under the trees.

Behnke was establishing food plots for local wildlife to enjoy on land owned by his parents, Delmar and Ruth Behnke, but he didn’t want to put one too close to the road. So he conceived of a natural area to “provide beauty and habitat for pollinators of all kinds with walkable paths for people to enjoy and learn from.”

By the time the area is completed, Behnke said, it will probably feature a pond, a cluster of swamp milkweed and another plot where he wants to plant flowers specifically for swallowtail butterflies.

But this spot is just the beginning of his vision. With the support of his wife, Candice, he established a nonprofit organization, Camp10 Nature Gardens, “to see if we can get other people to grow nature gardens.” At least one other local farmer has expressed an interest in establishing a garden on his property.

The core values of the fledgling group are:

• Replacing and adding to the habitat that is required for pollinators to thrive;

• Providing habitat to study for educational purposes;

• Keeping the community involved in nature.

As time goes on, Behnke hopes the group will be able to establish multiple two-acre gardens in the Lena area, create scholarships for students studying into nature-related fields and create educational resources and events held at the gardens.

The public is welcome to drop in and get an early taste of the concept. To find it, take County Road A east of Lena, turn north onto County Road J and after three curves take a left onto North Creek Lane. The driveway to Camp10 Nature Garden is on the right after about a quarter-mile; signage is still pending.