Letter to the editor: Honoring the past and defending the future

A recent article featured information about a series of grants

awarded to the Shippensburg Historical Society, including one of $20,000 to be used "primarily for improvements to the property and grounds." I hope, Mr. Miller, that instead of wasting that money on "planting grass seed," you could create a

pollinator garden that would help sustain biodiversity in the area. For example, you could create a historically-based colonial garden with old-fashioned plants used by our ancestors, or a Victorian-style garden, or even a modern garden using the latest

Science to include species of plants that would benefit bees, bugs, butterflies & birds. What the area doesn't need is more GRASS which benefits Japanese beetle larvae & ticks. Here is an opportunity to beautiful your area, educate visitors on

the virtues of a garden incorporating native plants that helped sustain settlers, and supporting beneficial species. Here is a chance to honor the past AND defend the future. I hope you will take it.