Charleston County, SC — The Ray is honored to be selected as a Summer 2025 awardee of the Pollinate Program, receiving $10,000 in funding from the UIC Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group. This initiative represents a pioneering collaboration between The Ray and Charleston County to convert roadside public lands into thriving ecosystems that benefit both people and the natural environment.

Made possible through the generous support of the University of Illinois Chicago’s Pollinate Program, this award uplifts early-stage, high-impact projects that demonstrate scalable climate and sustainability solutions. Managed by the UIC Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group, the program empowers innovative approaches to habitat restoration and ecological enhancement in transportation corridors. The Charleston County Pollinator Habitat Initiative will exemplify this mission by integrating nature-based strategies into transportation and public land management.

The project will establish three native pollinator meadows along county rights-of-way. By transforming underutilized roadside areas into biodiverse, functional landscapes, the initiative will enhance pollinator health, improve stormwater management, and support climate mitigation through land use, advancing The Ray’s broader vision for zero-impact transportation infrastructure.

The Ray has been partnering with Charleston County since 2020 to explore how natural infrastructure can align with the built environment to accelerate the county’s sustainable planning goals. This latest effort deepens that partnership, bringing tangible action to a shared commitment to resilience and ecological restoration.

“This award recognizes the power of partnerships to transform infrastructure into a force for environmental good,” said Allie Kelly, Executive Director of The Ray. “With Charleston County’s leadership, this initiative will show how even small-scale pilots can generate outsized benefits for biodiversity, climate resilience, and community engagement.”

Guided by The Ray’s expertise in sustainable infrastructure, the pilot will allow Charleston County to test this model locally while building long-term capacity for community-led conservation. The project will also engage the County’s active volunteer base, expanding public awareness of pollinator decline and empowering citizens to play a role in the solution.

By demonstrating the value of pollinator-friendly roadside management, the Charleston County Pollinator Habitat Initiative aims to set a model for scalable adoption across South Carolina and beyond.

Media Contact

Dallen McLemore, Communications Specialist, The Ray

229.449.6168 | dallen@theray.org | @TheRayHighway