Pollinators are key to sustaining functional ecosystems and food security while serving as appealing ambassadors for the natural world. Since 2019, the Baseline development in Broomfield, CO has been working to become a Pollinator District, a community that incorporates pollinator conservation in all aspects of operations. To do this, the developer McWhinney and Butterfly Pavilion have collaborated to create pollinator-friendly guidelines that guide all landscape projects and provide a path towards Pollinator District certification. In 2022, Butterfly Pavilion conducted pollinator surveys at Baseline to measure progress. Preliminary results suggest that pollinators are increasing in numbers and diversity in those areas where landscape has been established.
This year, Baseline will become the first certified Pollinator District and serve as an inspiring model for other communities.
Wenk Associates led the master plan for the parks and open spaces for the Baseline Development and continue to work on subsequent phases of design and construction. The landscape within each community in Baseline is thoughtfully designed to support the pollinators native to the shortgrass prairies and wetlands along the Front Range.
Images, courtesy of Butterfly Pavilion
Rendering, Wenk Associates