Keeping you connected to the world of bees Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here. Conservation The return of wild pansies at Polk City Cemetery (Xerces Society) “Hunched over against the late-day chill, I walked back and forth closely examining the hillside looking for any evidence of purple bloom. It was early April and I was back at Polk City Cemetery in Polk City, Iowa, on the hunt for the wild pansy (Viola bicolor). The cloud cover was full and I hoped I could give myself a morale boost on what was otherwise a gloomy spring day. Last spring, myself and one of my many mentors unexpectedly stumbled upon the tiny flower. The discovery occurred after significant brush removal had taken place in fall 2019 (check out a previous blog, Discovery of a Rare Plant Through Remnant Prairie Restoration, for background on the wild pansy and Polk City Cemetery). Would the wild pansy be present this year? We didn’t know, but hoped so.”