UPDATE 3/5/2025: It appears that in 2025, the Xerces Society Monarch Habitat Kit program is only targeting properties in the Klamath-Siskyou region, not in the Willamette Valley. However, if you are interested in making your property more pollinator-friendly, the district is happy to help! For riparian/streamside properties, contact Rachel Kato at [email protected]; for agricultural hedgerow properties, contact Jordan Anderson at [email protected]; for prairie or meadow properties, contact Brooke Karasch at [email protected].
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has a program to offer free pollinator kits to a limited number of land managers. Applications will open on February 22nd and close on April 12th. 2025. Projects should be within the Willamette Valley or Klamath-Siskiyou region, create or improve habitat for pollinators, and take place on private lands, community gardens, city parks, or other public areas. The kits are not meant for private home gardens.
Hedgerow
Includes both woody and herbaceous plants, and is meant to create habitat for pollinators on working land or non-working land.
Grassland
Includes grasses and herbaceous flowering plants, and is meant to create habitat for pollinators in more dry, open, and/or sunny spaces.
Riparian (Streamside)
Includes shrubs and trees that will do well in wet soil, can even tolerate seasonal flooding, and is meant to create habitat alongside streams, including shading the streams. Additional assistance may be available through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.
If you are interested in applying for one of these kits, you can reach out to Xerces for more information, or reach out to the District for a free site visit! Yamhill SWCD is not affiliated with Xerces, but District conservationists can provide technical assistance to help you determine which of the three kits is most suitable for your space. The District would also be happy to provide some additional support as you write the proposal to apply for the program. Contact Rachel Kato for riparian assistance at [email protected] or 971-241-9479 or Brooke Karasch for other pollinator assistance at [email protected] or 971-421-3537.
