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Overview
Overview
These are useful tips to get you started on organizing your own pollinator district.
Methods include a step-by-step approach, with prompts for community members to work through to establish a pollinator neighborhood.
How to make your neighborhood a pollinator paradise in 5 steps:
How to make your neighborhood a pollinator paradise in 5 steps:
Step 1: Reach out to your community
Step 1: Reach out to your community
Plug into community: understand the interests, needs, opportunities and limitations of community members in order to participate.
Plug into potential partnerships: local businesses, schools, relevant city departments.
*community outreach should continue all throughout the project.
Example questions:
What nearby businesses, schools, and relevant city departments would we like to partner with?
Community outreach can be done by a variety of options, some of them are- making a survey and holding focus groups.
Here is an example of a survey:
If you are a community member, please take our survey. We will appreciate your participation!
Some focus group questions:
1. What are pollinators? Do you think of bees or butterflies? What other pollinators are in the neighborhood?
2. Do you have a garden? Or a porch/balcony where you grow plants? If so, what kind?
3. We are interested to know what you think about trying to make the Peralta neighborhood more pollinator friendly and green?
4. What would personally motivate you to participate in a pollinator-friendly certification program?
5. Are there specific resources you would need? (Funds, seeds/plants/planters, help with plant selection/design, regular help from an experienced gardener, info about pesticides, nesting, behavior?)
6. Are there any other points you’d like to make about this subject?
Questions:
"what are the main existing opportunities and limitations you notice?"
These are key outcomes for making a strategic plan that meets the communities needs.
Step 2: Assess your resources
Step 2: Assess your resources
To achieve district-wide goals, it may be helpful to brainstorm a social network map of your community to think about: who are the different groups and what are the relationships between them? Who might be interested in participating and leading and who might need other incentives in order to join the active neighborhood plan.
Who are potential partners for the pollinator neighborhood program?
What are the existing connections and relationships?
Map these connections
Community- residents, local schools
City -
Local businesses -
NGO’s -
Organizations - Pollinator Posse
Are there any specific residents that would be interested in leading this project?
Who might be interested in readily participating and/or leading, and who might need other incentives in order to join the active neighborhood plan?
Step 3: Create a leadership committee
Step 3: Create a leadership committee
Decide on key leaders that can lead your neighborhood pollinator program:
Who are some people in our community that are engaged and motivated with pollinator education? People with financial knowledge (i.e. grant writing experience) or resources?
Of those people, who should take on a leadership position and what are their roles and responsibilities? Who could be a team member?
How much time can the leadership committee dedicate to to this project?
Step 4: Map existing and potential pollinator habitats
Step 4: Map existing and potential pollinator habitats
In order for pollinators to thrive, they need to have these conditions:
A) Different types of habitats for different species' needs.
B) Neighborhood “stepping stones” - offering a connected network of resources for airborne pollinators throughout the neighborhood.
C) A variety of plants in one patch.
Above is an example for 34th Street and PHHP, where we map out existing greenspaces and potential areas for planting or other pollinator programming.
Step 5: Establish your pollinator paradise!
Step 5: Establish your pollinator paradise!
Now that you have a greater understanding of your community's passions, limitations, and resources--it is time to make your plan!
The plan should include aspects of raising awareness, educational actions and landscape planning - conservation and establishment of pollinator habitats.
Suggestions for the plan (Choose what makes most sense for your community):
Priority steps to consider:
Map existing pollinator sites and create signs to mark existing habitats.
Promote the plant guide (above) and provide assistance to residents who are interested in planting pollinator gardens.
Organize native and pollinator-friendly plant sales & giveaways.
Solicit seed donations from nurseries and organizations and distribute them through a seed library along with planting & care instructions.
Establish a demonstration garden in one of the parks, schools, or a public space where community members can learn more about planting for pollinators.
Create signage that explains overwintering sites (such as leaving leaf litter until spring) and display them on sites that use these methods. This can be done in public spaces and front yards.
Create incentives for residents (ex. by providing supplies, certification plaques & signs, free admission to neighborhood events)
Additional steps:
Participate in a community science project (such as butterfly or bee monitoring projects)
Collaborate with existing advocacy groups (ex. local gardening clubs, Pollinator Posse)
Host training workshops for “Friends of Pollinators” (ambassador residents that will help in the activities and spreading the knowledge).
Continue to identify potential partnerships in your area that you can collaborate with as you gain more resources - for example, offering seeds and educational assistance to local businesses/ schools
Educate community members and organizations about the harmful effects of pesticides and educate them on pollinator friendly gardening practices including planting clusters of plants and leaving leaf litter clean up until spring.
Fun-to-add steps:
Engage local artists in a “pollinator street gallery” which can including painting murals or streets.
Create lesson plans that can be used by local schools to educate children about the benefits pollinators give to us!
Disseminate your pollinator conservation efforts online through social media or a website so others can follow in your footsteps
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