Rio Salado Pollinator Garden

Phoenix , Phoenix (FUA), United States

City population: 5268907

Duration: 2024 – 2024

Implementation status: Completed

Scale: Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)

Project area: 4046.8 m²

Type of area: Freshwater setting (e.g. river, channel, lake, pond), Protected Area, Public Greenspace Area

Last updated: November 2024

Pollinators—including bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, sunbirds, and bats, all found in the Sonoran Desert—play a vital role in plant reproduction, contributing to the production of fruits, vegetables, and seeds. However, these essential species face growing challenges, such as habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. In 2023, the Rio Reimagined project, a two-year regional river revitalization initiative, received a grant from the Society for Ecological Restoration’s Standards-based Restoration in Action program, in collaboration with Microsoft. This grant is funding the creation of a riparian pollinator garden designed by ASU students at the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center, situated on the banks of the Salt River in Phoenix. With strong support from the City of Phoenix, Microsoft’s Community Environmental Sustainability (CES) program, and planting expertise from the Tiger Mountain Foundation, a one-acre garden was restored in 2024 to establish a thriving pollinator habitat. This restored garden includes interpretive signage and programming designed to educate visitors on the importance of riparian ecosystems. More than one hundred volunteers planted native species along the Rio Salado to attract and support pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds. The garden is specifically designed to be climate-resilient and drought-tolerant, enhancing the biodiversity of the Salt River. This initiative not only revitalizes the Rio Salado Audubon Center but also cultivates native plants, supports pollinator populations, and benefits the broader community through increased environmental awareness and sustainability. (1-3)

An overview photo of individuals planting the pollinator garden.

Creating Vibrant Pollinator Habitat

VGPhotoz Collectionz by Vlad Georgescu

Overview

Nature-based solution

Blue infrastructure
Riverbank/Lakeside greens
Parks and urban forests
Other

Key challenges

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Environmental quality
Soil quality improvement
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Habitat and biodiversity restoration
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental education
Sense of community and community engagement

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

Environmental Degradation
Biodiversity loss

Key priorities

Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Protection of natural ecosystems, Creating nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, or biodiversity hotspots to conserve unique ecosystems, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs, Strategy, plan or policy development, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood green and blue infrastrcuture protection or enhancement strategies/plans

Project objectives

The goals of the Rio Salado Pollinator Garden were to: Transform a 1-acre area into a vibrant habitat for pollinators by following a well-defined ecological process by removing invasive species and improving soil quality (3). Create city-wide partnerships to build a stronger community and contribute to the larger regional river revitalization initiative, Rio Reimagined (1). Create a climate resilient garden to benefit the river ecosystem (1). Build a community green space that encourages recreation and environmental education (1). Incorporate climate resilience designs that consider the urban heat island (3). Foster a sense of ownership and responsibility for the environment and its resources (3).

Implementation activities

Pollinators, including species of bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, sunbirds, and bats—all found in the Sonoran Desert—play a vital part in plant reproduction and the production of fruits, vegetables, and seeds. Nonetheless, these essential species face numerous challenges, such as habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change (3). To address these challenges the project implemented a variety of activities including: 1. Securing a 2-year grant in 2023 through the Society for Ecological Restoration Standard-based Restoration in Action program to build a riparian pollinator garden (2). 2. Designing the garden landscape from architect students at Arizona State University’s Design School (3). 3. Carefully selecting native shrubs, cacti, succulents, perennials, wildflowers, and grasses attract a variety of pollinators (3). 4. Began the process of site preparation which included removing invasive species and improving soil quality (3). 5. Receiving support from the City of Phoenix and planting experience from Tiger Mountain Foundation (2). 6. Creating a 0.40 ha garden with climate resilient, desert adapted plants to provide habitats for bees, butterflies, and birds (1-2). 7. Incorporating Multi-lingual interpretive signage in the garden and exhibits in the Audubon Center educate visitors about the vital role of pollinators in the riparian ecosystem. 8. Implemented an automatic irrigation system that conserves water (3).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect
Increase the use of or more efficient agroforestry practices (e.g. soil moisture, reduce evaporation) or drought-resistant species for agriculture

Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts

Yes

Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities

Urban heat islands, Minority or marginalized ethnic groups

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity restoration:

Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
Restore native species
Restore valued species
Clear and control invasive alien species

Main beneficiaries

Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

Non-government organisation/civil society

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Dissemination of information and education
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Co-management/Joint management

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The pollinator garden initiative at the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center was brought to life through a strong network of collaborators. The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department partnered on the project, providing the land and public space for the garden. Students from Arizona State University designed the garden layout, while the TigerMountain Foundation contributed invaluable planting expertise. This project, funded by a grant from the Society for Ecological Restoration's Standards-based Restoration in Action program, also received support from Microsoft through their partnership with SER. Additionally, more than 100 community volunteers joined in March 2024 to help plant and establish the garden. The project aligns with Arizona's Rio Reimagined initiative. (1-2)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown

... a national policy or strategy? Unknown

... a local policy or strategy? Yes (The project aligns with Arizona's Rio Reimagined initiative which aims to revitalize regional river ecosystems and create a local strategy that will help promote a 20-mile Rio Salado (Salt River) corridor as a local and regional destination that attracts positive investment for the benefit of existing/future businesses, residents, and tourists (1))

Type of enablers

NGOs/Community groups driving the implementation, Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), Collaboration with other projects that implemented NBS

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

Public regional budget
Corporate investment

Type of funding

Earmarked public budget
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution

Provision of labour

Who provided the non-financial contribution?

Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

Climate change
Lowered local temperature
Expected lowered local temperature
Environmental quality
Improved soil quality
Achieved improved soil quality
Water management and blue areas
Reduced risk of damages by drought
Achieved reduced risk of damages by drought
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Achieved increased green space area
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Achieved increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
Achieved improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
Enhanced support of pollination
Achieved enhanced support of pollination

Economic impacts

Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)

Socio-cultural impacts

Social justice and cohesion
Improved access to urban green space
Achieved improved access to urban green space
Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
Achieved increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Education
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Achieved increased knowledge of locals about local nature