At 28 acres, the meadow at the Kinney Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies is one of the largest natural areas on the UMass Amherst Campus, providing valuable habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. In early fall 2025, Bee Campus Committee members Aliza Fassler, Mike Amato, and Nicole Bell led a sampling effort at the Renaissance Center meadow and documented 15+ species of pollinators in under two hours. Pollinators observed included Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) whose caterpillars feed on milkweed (Asclepias spp.,) in the meadow and the hairy-banded mining bee (Andrena hirticincta), a specialist on pollen from the meadow’s abundant goldenrod (Solidago spp.). Located at the edge of campus at 650 East Pleasant St., the meadow is open to the public, and all are welcome to stroll along the mown paths and watch the sunset over the field. The Renaissance Center is home to a library of rare books focusing on early earth science, animal husbandry, botany, forestry, and land management. The collection supports research on early modern engagements with the natural world, including pollinators! Learn more about the Kinney Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies and their Renaissance of the Earth Project.
Image credit: Nicole Bell