Pollinator Power

Pollinators are essential to life on earth, and landscapes that are intended to support healthy pollinator populations must fulfill their specific needs. Although the best-known pollinators are bees and butterflies, other pollinators include moths, birds, bats, wasps, flies, beetles, and small mammals. High-performing pollinator landscapes offer food in the form of pollen and/or nectar, shelter, and water for pollinator species. Below are examples of real projects and published research related to supporting pollinators across a variety of landscape typologies and geographies.  

1. Case Study Brief

   

   South Eveleigh Community Rooftop Garden

   Eveleigh, New South Wales, Australia

   “Urban green roofs can support pollinators. A study of this Sydney green roof garden revealed at least 13 pollinator species, supported by the roof's native plants. The pollinators were found to be most present around a vertical trellis feature and were more present in areas with higher vegetation volume. ”

2. Case Study Brief

   

   Scioto Mile and Greenways

   Columbus, Ohio

   “The plant species selected for this riparian park and greenway offer a variety of pollinator services, including providing food and serving as larval host plants. ”

3. Fast Fact

   Quality pollinator habitat can be created beneath solar arrays. In an Oregon experiment, researchers found that pollinator abundance, diversity, and richness as well as pollinator-flower visitation rates were...

   “Pollinator habitat can be created in unexpected places. This study showed that quality habitat can be created even underneath solar arrays. ”

4. Fast Fact

   A Melbourne study assessing bat, bird, and insect presence in urban habitats found that increasing volume of understory vegetation and percentage of native vegetation had positive effects on populations. A 30%-120%...

   “This study demonstrates that supporting potential pollinators depends on not just selecting native plant species but also increasing volume for understory vegetation. ”

5. Case Study Brief

   

   Ricardo Lara Linear Park

   Lynwood, California

   “Maintenance practices have an important connection with pollinator presence. In this linear park, maintenance staff initially trimmed back shrubs and removed flowers, removing key pollinator habitat. By waiting longer or not removing some plant material during maintenance activities, pollinator resources can be conserved while balancing maintenance needs. ”

6. Benefits Toolkit

   

   iNaturalist

   California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic Society

   “Citizen science tools can be used to track pollinator populations anywhere in the world. This tool allows a user to track which pollinators, and in what quantities, have been observed by visitors to a site. Users can also log their own pollinator observations. ”

7. Case Study Brief

   

   Cavallo Point

   Sausalito, California

   “Pollinator habitat restoration can offer additional co-benefits. In this project, restoring lawn to coastal scrub habitat yielded significant savings in water use and irrigation costs while creating habitat for the endangered Mission blue butterfly. ”