Mid-Atlantic Monarch and Pollinator Habitat Kit Program

Many of the kits this year are designed to be appropriate for urban farms, community gardens, and other shared and educational spaces in cities. The remainder of the kits are appropriate for farms and other larger sites. Projects could include but are not limited to working lands, farms, restoration projects, tribal lands, public lands, parks, schools, and other educational sites. Habitat kit project proposals that identify with and/or intentionally serve historically marginalized people and communities will be given additional consideration in our project partner evaluation process. For more information, see the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion section below.

Kits are not for residential use or private homes. 

Priority areas are the Mid-Atlantic and New York City region. This includes anywhere in New Jersey or Southeast Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia. Surrounding areas are also welcome to apply and will be considered based on availability (e.g. southern Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, etc). 

2025 Mid-Atlantic Pollinator and Monarch Habitat Kit Descriptions

Note: Plant species may be subject to change based on annual production and inventory, We do our best to work with our nursery partners to design habitat kits in advance and do not anticipate significant changes to kits. However, there are instances where nurseries may experience unexpected production issues for a particular species in a given year. Xerces staff frequently check in with our nursery partners to track plant orders and we will notify project partners in of any species substitutions or other changes to the kits prior to kit distribution with as much advanced notice as possible.

KIT #1: SMALL, DRY/AVERAGE SOIL SITES, URBAN SITES

• Growing conditions: Species in this kit are adapted to dry/average well-drained soils, full to part sun, and once established should be relatively drought tolerant. Plants will require irrigation during establishment.
• Plants: Kit #1 contains 500 herbaceous plugs and 2 shrubs (502 total plants) and has 12 species (9 forbs, 1 warm-season bunch grass, and 2 shrubs).
• Planting area: Kit #1 is intended to cover a planting area of 500 square feet at 1ft spacing or ~1,000 - 2,000 square feet at 1.5ft - 2ft spacing. 
• Number of flats: Kit option #1 will have 10 flats (50 herbaceous plugs/flat) and 2 shrub seedlings per kit order. Please ensure enough vehicle space for transporting the kit plants to your project site.

KIT #2: LARGE, DRY/AVERAGE SOILS, UPLAND SITES

• Growing conditions: Species in this kit are adapted to dry/average well-drained soils, full to part sun, and once established should be relatively drought tolerant. Plants will require irrigation during establishment.
• Plants: Kit #2 contains 1,100 herbaceous plugs and 4 shrubs (1,104 total plants) and has 26 species (21 forbs, 1 warm-season bunch grass, and 4 shrubs).
• Planting area: Kit #2 is intended to cover a planting area of 1,100 square feet at 1ft. spacing or ~2,200 - 3,300 square feet at 1.5ft. - 2ft. spacing.
• Number of flats: Kit option #2 will have 22 flats (50 herbaceous plugs/flat) and 4 shrub seedlings per kit order. Please ensure enough vehicle space for transporting the kit plants to your project site.

KIT #3: SANDY SOILS SITES

• Growing conditions: Species in this kit are adapted to dry, sandy, acidic soils, and once established should be relatively drought tolerant. Kit #3 will be appropriate for many South Jersey, Coastal, and Barrens sites. Plants will require irrigation during establishment. 
• Plants: Kit #3 contains 500 herbaceous plugs and 2 shrubs (502 total plants) and has 11 species (7 forbs, 3 warm-season bunch grasses, and 1 shrub). 
• Planting area: Kit #3 is intended to cover a planting area of 500 square feet at 1ft spacing or ~1,000 - 2,000 square feet at 1.5ft - 2ft spacing.
• Number of flats: Kit option #3 will have 10 flats (50 herbaceous plugs/flat) and 2 shrub seedlings per kit order. Please ensure enough vehicle space for transporting the kit plants to your project site.

KIT #4: MOIST SOILS AND RAIN GARDEN SITES

• Growing conditions: Species in this kit are adapted to average or wetter soils, full-part sun, and can tolerate seasonal or occasional inundation as well as periods of dryness (e.g. rain garden, swales, buffers). 
• Plants: Kit #4 contains 850 herbaceous plugs and 2 shrubs (852 total plants) and has 19 species (16 forbs, 1 sedge, and 2 shrubs). 
• Planting area: Kit #4 is intended to cover a planting area of 850 square feet at 1ft spacing or ~1,700 - 2,550 square feet at 1.5ft - 2ft spacing.
• Number of flats: Kit option #4 will have 17 flats (50 herbaceous plugs/flat) and 2 shrub seedlings per kit order. Please ensure enough vehicle space for transporting the kit plants to your project site.

Proposals

We are accepting proposals from January 20, 2025 through February 16, 2025

If you are interested, please complete and submit the project proposal form by the end of the day on February 16, 2025. We hope to announce selected partners by mid-March. The project proposal form collects information about where the kit will be planted, the size of the area, and plans for site preparation, management, and maintenance, as well as plans for pesticide risk mitigation and outreach opportunities, if applicable. We anticipate that it will take 30-45 minutes to complete the form, and we expect project proposals to clearly demonstrate a carefully thought out plan for your habitat kit project. Project proposals that detail comprehensive and clear steps in site assessment and pre-planting preparation, plant establishment, and ongoing management will receive a higher ranking in our evaluation process. A limited number of habitat kits are available and we receive more requests than we are able to fulfill. Project proposal forms will be ranked and projects will be selected according to predetermined criteria.

Distribution 

We hope to make plants available in late-May/early-June, however, dates could be as late as mid-June. Exact dates are dependent on availability from our habitat kit partner nursery, Pinelands Nursery. Project partners should keep an eye on all communications and be ready to make plans to accept plants when notified. Xerces will help coordinate a pick-up or delivery schedule.

Planting, Maintenance, Reporting

Project partners that are selected to receive habitat kits are responsible for creating a habitat installation and maintenance plan to ensure plants establish, persist, and provide long-term conservation benefits. Partners are then responsible for planting, care, and ongoing maintenance of the plants that Xerces provides. This includes timely planting, watering, weeding, and pesticide protection. Habitat kit plantings must have access to irrigation or portable watering systems and project partners are responsible for ensuring plants receive at least 1 inch of water per week and possibly extra in the event of drought. Please refer to the Mid-Atlantic Habitat Kit Program Planting Guide for additional details, requirements, and instructions for installing, establishing, and maintaining Xerces’ habitat kit plantings. All project partners also must submit a short 1-2 page project report and photos in the fall after receiving their kit per the terms outlined in the Project Partner Collaborative Agreement.

The Xerces Society habitat kit program aims to increase access to high-quality pollinator habitat plants. Xerces acknowledges that historical and institutional barriers are in place and disproportionately affect marginalized individuals and communities based on race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, income class, disability status, age, religion, veteran status, and other identity factors. Many marginalized individuals and communities have been historically and systematically excluded from conservation work and are disproportionately affected by environmental injustice.  Xerces is working to intentionally prioritize and support marginalized individuals and communities through our pollinator conservation work and the habitat kit program.

Habitat kit project proposals that identify with and/or intentionally serve historically marginalized people and communities will be given additional consideration in our project partner evaluation process.

To learn more about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Xerces, click here.

• Mid-Atlantic Habitat Kit Program Planting Guide
• Plant Species Profile Cards (coming soon!)
• Pollinator Conservation Resource Center
• Publications Library
• Xerces Society YouTube Channel
• Bug Banter Podcast
• Resources for Educators
• Persistent Herbicide Restrictions
• Restricciones Persistentes de Herbicidas
• Get Involved! Project Partners are encouraged to use their habitat kit plantings for education and outreach. Xerces
  has several Community Science Opportunities.

Who should I contact if I have questions?

Please email Kass and Kelly [email protected] with any questions about Mid-Atlantic habitat kits.

How do I get my kit? 

Pick up will be at our partner nursery Pinelands Nursery & Supply in Columbus, New Jersey. Xerces staff will contact project partners in advance to notify project partners about scheduling your habitat kit pick-up. Shipping will be available as needed, however, we have limited funds so we ask that you pick up if you are able.

If I am picking up my kit at the nursery, how big of a vehicle do I need?

Herbaceous plants (plugs) come in “flats” of 50 plants, which are trays that measure 20 inches by 10 inches and shrubs will be in small pots. Habitat kit options for 2025 and the number of plants/flats per kit type are:

• KIT #1: The small dry/average soil kit for urban sites has 10 flats (10 flats * 50 plugs/flat = 500 plugs)
  plus 2 shrubs.
• KIT #2: The large dry/average kit for upland sites has 22 flats (22 flats * 50 plugs/flat = 1100 plugs)
  plus 4 shrubs.
• KIT #3: The sandy soil kit has 10 flats (10 flats * 50 plugs/flat = 500 plugs) plus 2 shrubs.
• KIT #4: The moist soils and rain garden kit has 17 flats (17 flats * 50 plugs/flat = 850 plugs)
  plus 2 shrubs.

The bed of a car with the back seats laid down is often sufficient for smaller kits, and the bed of a pickup truck is often big enough for a large kit. However, we strongly recommend measuring your vehicle before driving all the way to the nursery to ensure you have enough space.

Is there signage?

Yes! Each kit project partner will receive a free sign in English and Spanish, as well as a sign for Pinelands Nursery, our partner nursery, which are to be posted at the planting site. 

Can I get technical assistance for creating and maintaining my kit?

Yes! We are happy to help. To get started, review the planting guide for Mid-Atlantic habitat kits and resources provided in the Additional Information tab (above). You can also find a variety of information and materials on our website at www.xerces.org. You may also contact us at [email protected] with questions about your project and for advice on how to ensure that your project will be successful.

I am receiving funds for my project through an NRCS Farm Bill Program. Can I still apply for a kit?

Yes, you can leverage other funding sources and apply for a kit. However, you must check in with your NRCS contact to make sure you are still fulfilling your contractual obligations.

How can I support the Xerces habitat kit program?

Thanks! The habitat kits are made possible thanks to the generosity of Xerces Society donors and members. Please support the Xerces Society!

Meet our Mid-Atlantic Habitat Kit Team:

Please email Kass and Kelly at [email protected] with any questions.