Xerces Habitat Kits

(Photo: Emily May.)

Pollinators are a vital part of terrestrial ecosystems. Unfortunately, many species are declining due to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and disease. One way to help protect pollinators is to create pollinator-friendly habitat for these important animals. In strategizing how best to do this, we realized that a great way to expand our capacity to create habitat was to work with partners who already have interest in and experience with habitat restoration work. Thus, the Xerces Society Habitat Kit program was born! This unique program offers carefully selected, native and regionally appropriate plant materials directly to our partners for shovel-ready projects. The program started in California, where we created climate-smart habitat kits with a special emphasis on monarch butterflies. We are now expanding the program to further parts of the country.

Xerces’ Habitat Kit Program

We are currently offering habitat kits in three regions of the United States. Please see below for details.

California Monarch and Pollinator Kits

This program offers carefully selected, native and regionally appropriate plant materials directly to our partners for shovel-ready projects. We started the kit program in California, where we created climate-smart habitat kits with a special emphasis on monarch butterflies.

Kits are available for those interested in partnering with Xerces to create pollinator habitat on working lands or public lands in many parts of the state. The deadline to submit interest forms for this year has closed.

Santa Fe Pollinator Kits

Kits are available for residents interested in creating pollinator habitat in their yards and representatives of public spaces (libraries, schools, parks, etc.) interested in installing pollinator habitat demonstration gardens in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Two forms are available, the Residential Interest Form and the Public Space Interest Form. The deadline to submit interest forms for this year has closed.

Northeast Monarch and Pollinator Kits

The deadline to submit interest forms for this year has closed. Kit availability and participant interest forms for 2022 will be posted when that information becomes available.

In 2021, kits were available for those interested in partnering with Xerces to create habitat for monarchs and other pollinators including, conservation districts, nonprofit organizations, Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA affiliates, state and local agencies, farms, parks and nature centers, schools, community groups, and representatives of public spaces.