Our growing pollinator habitat

In April 2021, Mayor Lesa Heebner and Solana Beach City Council members signed the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge to help make Solana Beach friendly to Western monarchs and other pollinators. The pledge is a challenge sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation to encourage urban and suburban cities to create more habitat friendly to birds, bees and butterflies.

We're putting pollinator patches on our City map!

Since then . . .

April 2021 — First pollinator garden established with 75 milkweed and nectar plants in our first neighborhood, La Colonia de Eden Gardens. More than 90 Solana Beach families collected 350 free, native narrow-leaf milkweed plants and 1,430 native milkweed seeds for their home gardens. Residents donated more than $1,700 to plant more pollinator habitat

May 2021 to present — Native milkweed and nectar plants added annually along the Coastal Rail Trail, Fire Station native garden and La Colonia Community Center pollinator garden. Native milkweed and nectar plant sales for Solana Beach residents.

Additional pollinator patches have been planted at the Mindful Garden at Skyline Elementary School. More are planned at Larrick Reservoir and near the City’s Public Works yard off Highland Drive.

Each year, the City of Solana Beach reports progress on Monarch Pledge activities to the National Wildlife Federation. Read the 2023 report.