Here in California, we typically plant native plants in fall and winter to take advantage of any rain we get. That means planting time is quickly approaching—and we can’t wait to get our hands dirty to help pollinators!

The CCRCD is gearing up to plant several pollinator gardens in 2025. One of the most exciting aspects of this work is the many amazing partners we get to work with. This year, we’re working with the Pittsburg Unified School District, Cal State East Bay-Concord Center, the City of Martinez, New Leaf Collaborative, Boys and Girls Clubs of Contra Costa, Contra Costa Event Park, and private landowners to plan and plant gardens that will serve as excellent habitat for many types of pollinators for years to come. The web of partnerships involved in establishing these habitats is a fitting precursor to the increased wildlife habitat connectivity that results from the partners’ efforts.

At the end of 2024, the CCRCD helped establish eight pollinator habitats throughout Contra Costa—two in Pittsburg and one each in Richmond, San Pablo, Rodeo, Concord, Antioch, and an unincorporated area near Morgan Territory. We’ve already seen increased pollinator activity in these spaces, and this encourages us to continue planting, planting, planting!

If you are interested in volunteering or receiving information about upcoming pollinator garden site preparation and planting workdays, please email us at monarchs@ccrcd.org to be added to our Planting Events email list.

The CCRCD would like to acknowledge the grantors and organizations that make our pollinator conservation work possible. Thank you to the California Wildlife Conservation Board, the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

‍‍

Below: A fiery skipper butterfly (Hylephila phyleus) rests on CA native mulefat (Baccharis salicifolia) that was planted at the Willow Pass Park Pollinator Garden in Concord in November 2024.