Pollinator Gardens Open!

Forest Park, Lower Macleay, Nov. 17, 2012
Some of the recently planted pollinator-friendly plants at Lower Macleay, Forest Park

By Kendra Petersen-Morgan

The bees, flies, moths and butterflies have a new place to call home in Forest Park. Portland Parks & Recreation City Nature West has created two new pollinator demonstration gardens at the Upper and Lower Macleay Trailhead entrances. The gardens, created in partnership with Friends of Trees and the Xerces Society, enhance habitat for pollinators through the removal of turf and installation of native plants.

A variety of native plants were selected to provide staggered bloom times and a rich source of pollen and nectar for bees. Fifteen different species were planted between the two sites including large-leaved lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus), meadow checkermallow (Sidalcea campestris), Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum) and oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor). While the two sites were prepared and planted in the Fall of 2012, recent work has included the installation of fencing at Lower Macleay to protect the plantings from damage from off-leash dogs.

These gardens not only provide habitat but will also promote public education through interpretative signage describing the benefits of pollinators and explaining what the public can do to enhance pollinator habitat in their own backyards.

Forest Park, Upper Macleay, 11-10-12
Planters at Upper Macleay, Forest Park, Nov. 10, 2012

This project was made possible through funding provided by West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, the Wessinger Foundation and Friends of Trees donors, and a wonderful collaboration between PP&R, Friends of Trees, the Xerces Society, and Forest Park Conservancy. City Nature West Staff, Rachel Felice, Mary Verrilli, Kirsten Provenzano, Charlie Nappi, Dee Wallace, Jeff Hough, Amanda Hymansmith and Connor Stava were instrumental in the creation and funding of these gardens. We reached out to our friends in Parks Maintenance to assist in the fabrication and installation of the fence down at Lower Macleay; a special thanks to Lance Condray and Norm Vance for their help. Come enjoy these demonstration areas on a sunny summer day to learn more about these plants and observe pollinators at work!

–Guest blogger Petersen-Morgan is the Natural Resources Ecologist with City Nature West, Portland Parks & Recreation. This article first appeared in PP&R PayDirt.