DOLORES STREET POLLINATOR BOULEVARD

摘要

The need for this ribbon of pollinator habitats across the median of Dolores Street in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood snapped into focus during California's recent drought. The turf surrounding historic palm trees in these landscaped islands was becoming degraded, dry, and a sickly brown from lack of water, with invasive plants spreading. A solution, proposed by Berkeley landscape architecture students, was to populate these medians with low-maintenance native plants with minimal water needs and the ability to attract a diverse range of pollinators. Working with a local nonprofit and the Department of Public Works, the students selected 47 plant types (a range of lilacs, sages, mint, rosemary, and more) that have blooming periods spread out evenly throughout the year to ensure a steady supply of nectar. A few pilot sections have already been planted, and there are plans for seating, public art, and educational signage, linked by footpaths. Already, the pollinator medians are boosting soil health and pollinator counts, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and 11 species of bees. "What's interesting about this project was the involvement of a lot of community groups," said one juror.