Pollinator Gardens + Living Classrooms

Creating Urban Green Spaces 

Nature Collective and Escondido elementary school students are creating urban green spaces by installing pollinator gardens at school campuses. The gardens feature native San Diego County plants that support pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. 

The green spaces improve ecological health, provide essential habitat “pocket corridors,” and combat urban challenges like water runoff and heat islands. These gardens are made possible, thanks in part to a generous Environmental Champions initiative and grant award from SDG&E. 

Above: Swallowtail butterfly at pollinator garden

Above: Plants ready for installation

The gardens serve as enhanced “living classrooms” where the school communities can gather to learn, play, and care for nature. The native gardens foster the school community’s social, physical, and intellectual growth and health by providing them with accessible settings that boost their curiosity, collaboration, discovery, and exercise during the school day and after/out-of-school activities.

The gardens also serve as living classrooms for an eight-week after-school program led by Nature Collective in collaboration with the Escondido Union School District. In these programs, students learn about gardens, pollinators, and plants through garden safaris, flower model relays, pollination games, garden math, poetry writing, and seed exploration. The after-school program ends with a Garden Gallery Stroll, where students showcase their artwork and poems, fostering environmental stewardship and a connection to nature.

Above: Students observe pollinator plants

Your donation is invaluable in providing programs like these. Donate today.