Grasso Pollinator Alliance was born from one man's passion for bees, native plants, and the remarkable ecosystems of the New Jersey Pinelands, and a belief that community action can make a real difference.
Founder & President
Don Grasso has always had a deep connection to the natural world. As the owner of both Grasso Concrete, LLC and Grasso's Landscape Service, LLC, and an active member of Philadelphia Local 592 Cement Masons, Don built a career in commercial and residential construction across Gloucester, Camden, Salem, and Atlantic Counties. His professional background spans land development, landscape design, turf grass management, horticulture, and ornamental plants, giving him a uniquely complete understanding of the land he now works to restore.
When he's not running his businesses, Don is most at home with his hands in the soil or in the workshop. Gardening and woodworking share the same patience, attention to detail, and respect for natural materials that define his approach to conservation. At home in Mays Landing, he cares for a small farm: a pet pig, goats, chickens, ducks, and of course his beloved honeybee colonies.
He has started an organic vegetable garden to share with family, friends, and volunteers, a living example of what sustainable growing looks like, and is establishing a fruit tree area with blackberries and blueberries interwoven with pollinator plants: a space that feeds people and pollinators alike.
“In South Jersey, our lands aren't just beautiful. They're essential to our way of life, from farming to recreation. By focusing on native plants and grassroots involvement, we're empowering residents to protect pollinators and preserve our natural heritage for generations.”Don Grasso, Founder & President
The Alliance was born out of a recognition that South Jersey's extraordinary natural landscapes were under serious threat, and that no one was stepping up at the local, community level to do something about it. The Pinelands, one of the most ecologically unique regions in the country, faces mounting pressure from habitat fragmentation and climate change. Don saw a gap and decided to fill it.
Grasso Pollinator Alliance, Inc. is formally registered with the State of New Jersey (NJ Reg. #0451397858), with Don Grasso as Founder and President alongside a founding board of trustees.
The Alliance launches publicly, introducing South Jersey to its mission of native habitat restoration, environmental education, and community-driven pollinator conservation.
The Alliance hosts its first community planting event in Mays Landing, where volunteers install native milkweed, wildflowers, and trees to create a model pollinator habitat, showing the community that small actions yield big results.
The Alliance marks its first World Bee Day, the United Nations observance celebrating the vital role of bees in global ecosystems and food security.
With plans to host 3 to 6 pollinator events annually, educate 500 to 800 students and residents, and partner with municipalities across the region, the Alliance is just getting started.
We work across South Jersey communities including Mays Landing, Sewell, and Swedesboro, not just in the Pinelands. Wherever pollinators are under pressure, we show up. Here's what drives our work:
Development and land-use changes are breaking apart the connected habitats pollinators need to thrive, migrate, and find food. Isolated patches can't sustain healthy populations.
Shifting seasons, extreme weather, and changing bloom times are disrupting the precise timing pollinators depend on to find food and reproduce successfully.
The bees, butterflies, and birds that pollinate South Jersey's farms and wild plants are disappearing, threatening both food security and the biodiversity that makes our region unique.
Native pollinator habitats aren't just good for bees. They improve stormwater infiltration, reduce flooding, and filter runoff in South Jersey's flood-prone communities.
We engage veterans directly in community gardening and habitat stewardship: therapeutic, hands-on activities that build connection to nature, a sense of purpose, and lasting conservation skills.
From Mays Landing to Sewell to Swedesboro, we're building partnerships with residents, schools, and local governments to turn individual efforts into a connected, regionwide conservation movement.
Join Don and the Grasso Pollinator Alliance in protecting what makes South Jersey special.