Linda Churchill, the chief gardener of the Santa Fe Botanical Gardens, was concerned about something she noticed in town earlier this year as spring turned into summer.
Or rather, what she didn’t notice.
There were no aphids on the roses in the botanical garden. No bugs on windshields. In the evening there are no moths fluttering around lightbulbs.
“People said, ‘Oh, it’s so beautiful. There are no bugs around. ‘ And I said, ‘Are you kidding?’ “Said Churchill.
“It felt like the science fiction books about the end of the world,” she added. “People have been saying for years that if the bugs go away, we’ll all go, and this spring it felt like that. It was really scary. “
Churchill said she saw insects reappear when the monsoon rains hit, easing the extreme drought conditions that had ravaged the region. But the horror she experienced made it clear the importance of a new program that she and the Botanical Gardens are now participating in.
This weekend, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is distributing 11,550 native plants to residents and organizations across the city as part of their Santa Fe Pollinator Trail program. The aim of the project is to counteract the loss of living space in the city by introducing new pockets of climate-resistant plants.
Pollinators such as bees, butterflies and moths have declined worldwide over the past few decades. Climate change, habitat destruction and the improper use of pesticides are three of the most likely culprits, said Kaitlin Haase, a Southwest pollinator protection specialist for the Xerces Society.
With the involvement of local residents and organizations, Haase hopes the pilot program will raise awareness of the issue and help people approach landscaping and gardening in a way that is far more beneficial for pollinators than installing heat-retaining stone lawns.
“I know that it is crippling to think about all the environmental problems in the world and climate change,” said Haase. “This is just a small thing we can all do as a community to be part of a movement that is transforming our landscapes to withstand climate change and support not only pollinators but also birds and wildlife that come from the plants depend on who they pollinate. “
The Xerces Society purchased the plants for the program from the Santa Ana Native Plant Nursery, owned and operated by Santa Ana Pueblo, which specializes in producing low-water, pesticide-free plants native to the Southwest .
With the help of volunteers from the Santa Fe Extension Master Gardeners, 350 kits containing 33 small transplants will be distributed to approximately 230 residents and 20 organizations selected to participate in the program.
The kits will be distributed free this weekend at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds to participants who have committed to establishing the plants in yards, gardens and public spaces.
There are two types of kits available. One is a low water kit that includes plants like pale evening primrose, prickly pear cactus, and black footed daisies. A low to medium water content set includes varieties such as Rocky Mountain Penstemon, White Prairie Clover, and Blanketflower.
Haase said that each kit includes plants that bloom at different times of the year so the small habitats can support pollinators that are active from spring through fall.
All kits were given out to attendees this year, but Haase said she plans to make plant distribution an annual event.
The Santa Fe Botanical Garden is one of the organizations receiving kits this weekend. Others are the Santa Fe Children’s Museum, the Railyard Conservancy, and the Randall Davey Audubon Center.
Churchill said the plants in the sets are not typical of most Santa Fe residents’ gardens, which are usually mixed with compost to create rich soil that is frequently watered.
“Native plants want what’s there,” she said. “You don’t necessarily want fertile soil.”
Adding pesticides is also a no-go.
Pam Wolfe is a Santa Fe Extension Master Gardener, which means she was trained in horticulture by New Mexico State University’s Cooperative Extension Service and shares her knowledge with the community.
She said pesticides would do more harm than good to pollinators.
“Often these broad spectrum pesticides make things worse in the long run, and repeated use leads to the target pests creating resistance,” said Wolfe, “so they become less effective against the target and kill many of the beneficial insects in the meantime.”
There are many resources available to help gardeners establish their native plants.
The Xerces Society has published webinars and mailed literature, and the master gardeners have an online form to answer any questions about the home garden.
The Santa Fe Botanical Gardens also host a day dedicated to native plants and pollinators on September 19 – Community Day on Museum Hill – with free entry to hear from Haase and other experts on the subject.
Haase came to Santa Fe in May 2020 to set up a presence for the Xerces Society in the Southwest. She has found that the community is ahead of the curve when it comes to friendliness towards pollinators.
In June, Santa Fe was certified as a subsidiary of Bee City USA. An initiative from the Xerces Society means a city is committed to providing healthy habitats for pollinators with no pesticides and full of native plants.
With the Pollinator Trail program, Haase hopes to keep the momentum going.
“It really is a dream to work with Santa Fe because there are so many people who really worry and worry,” she said.
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