With approximately 843 species of butterflies and moths and 465 species of bees, Michigan boasts an impressive diversity of insect pollinators. Across the country, pollinator habitat has been lost due to urban development. However, urban farms and community gardens in the Metro Detroit area have a unique opportunity to increase habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects such as predatory beetles, syrphid flies, solitary wasps, and lacewings. Both pollinators and beneficial insects provide important services in urban landscapes, especially farms and gardens. Fortunately, many pollinators are able to thrive in urban areas where landscaping includes a diversity of native flowering plant species free of pesticides.
To this end, the Xerces Society is offering pollinator habitat kits that contain regionally adapted native plants to community-serving, historically underserved urban farms, gardens, and local community organizations. The cost of the kits will be covered by the Xerces Society and selected project partners are responsible for pick-up of the kits, planting, watering, maintenance, and submitting follow-up information and updates.
The window for submitting project proposals for the 2024 Detroit pollinator habitat kit program will open on February 5th and close on March 16th.
Please share your contact information with us to be reminded of these dates and to receive pollinator habitat kit program updates, or other Xerces news and events for Metro Detroit and the Great Lakes.
2023 Detroit Pollinator Habitat Kit Distribution at Keep Growing Detroit. Pictured left to right: Stefanie Steele / Xerces, Kailee Slusser / Xerces, Akello Karamoko / Keep Growing Detroit, Roanna Cooper / volunteer, Deborah Seiler / Xerces. Photo by KGD.
Qualifying Projects
The Xerces Society is providing selected project partners with habitat kits of native, pollinator-friendly wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs to community-serving, historically underserved urban agricultural producers, community gardens, and community organizations in Metro Detroit.
Priority will be given to kit partners who identify as socially disadvantaged, historically underserved urban producers, and those with educational components. Partners are selected based on the project information set out in their proposal form as well as considerations such as shovel-ready planting sites (low weed pressure), locations, quality of site prep and maintenance plans, and public outreach potential.
Additional priority will be given to first-time habitat kit partners. However, previous kit partners may submit an proposal form for consideration if they are in good standing and up to date on completing all post-planting notification and reporting forms.
Please note that there are a limited number of habitat kits available and we expect to receive more requests than we are able to fulfill. Not everyone who submits a project proposal form will receive a habitat kit.
If you have questions about your project’s suitability or requests for technical guidance on your project, please email [email protected].
Detroit Pollinator Habitat Kit 2023 partner, Travis Peters of Green Boots Veteran Community Marketplace’s kit planting. Photo by Stefanie Steele / Xerces Society.
Qualifying Locations
Priority areas for kit partners are within the Detroit Metro area. Those outside of, but near the priority area may be considered, but partners will need to drive to Detroit to pick up their kit from Keep Growing Detroit. Kit partners must have approximately 225-425 square feet of planting area per habitat kit to accommodate all plants (herbaceous wildflowers, grasses, sedges, and woody species). Partners must also be able to use the entire kit on their property, however, one kit can be divided across multiple locations within the property if desired. Please thoroughly describe your proposed planting location(s) in the project proposal form.
When planning and selecting spaces for your kit, we recommend you select areas where soils are free of contaminants, including obstructions in the soils (structural foundations, garbage, permanent landscape fabrics, etc.) or heavy metals such as lead. Additionally, planting sites with high weed pressure are generally not recommended for spring 2024 planting as we want your projects to be successful. If your proposed habitat planting site needs more time for site preparation, please reach out to Stefanie and discuss opportunities for next year.
If you lease the property where you reside, you must ask your property manager for permission to plant the habitat kit and be able to provide contact information for the person who will maintain and provide reports on the plantings if you move.
Available Habitat Kit
The Detroit Pollinator Habitat Kit program has one type of kit, designed for sites with medium to medium-dry moisture soils and in full sun. Locations where soils are dry or medium-wet with part sun may also be considered.
Habitat kits include 6 trays of 32 two-inch transplants of native perennial wildflowers, grasses, sedges, and native shrubs (3 plugs), totaling 167 plants. We recommend spacing your herbaceous grasses, sedges, and flowers about 12-18 inches apart from the plants’ center and the shrubs about 3-6 feet apart. These plants are multi-functional and will benefit you and the variety of pollinators and beneficial insects from spring to fall.
Plants are grown by Wildtype Native Plant Nursery from locally sourced seeds of wild plants. A smaller selection of overwintered native plants will also be provided by Keep Growing Detroit (plants TBD). All selected participants in the habitat kit program will receive two Xerces pollinator habitat signs (one in English and one in Spanish) to display with their habitat plantings.
Habitat kit species may change depending on availability with growing success from our partnered native plant nursery. Please review the 2024 Detroit Pollinator Habitat Kit Plant List to learn more about the plants included in this year’s kit.
Looking for ideas on how to plan and prepare your site for your habitat kits? Please review 1) What Makes a Successful Habitat Kit Proposal and Planting document, and 2) examples from habitat kit case studies from partners in Wisconsin on site prep methods and their success.
Project Proposals - How to Participate!
Detroit Pollinator Habitat Kit proposal forms will be open from February 5th to March 16th, 2024. If you would like the opportunity to participate in this program, please fill out the Detroit Project Partner Proposal Form. We recommend that you review the “What Makes a Successful Habitat Kit Proposal and Planting” before submitting your proposal.
Partners are selected based on the project information set out in their proposal form as well as considerations such as shovel-ready planting sites (low weed pressure), appropriate locations, quality of site prep and maintenance plans, and educational outreach potential. Additional priority will be given to kit participants who identify as socially disadvantaged, historically underserved urban producers.
Selected participants will be required to pick up their native plant kit from Keep Growing Detroit in Detroit in early June and submit follow-up information, updates, and photos after planting.
Please note that there are a limited number of habitat kits available and we expect to receive more requests than we are able to fulfill. Not everyone who submits a project proposal form will receive a habitat kit.
Distribution
Habitat kits will be picked up from Keep Growing Detroit around the 1st of June, 2024. More information on kit distribution details will be available to selected awardees. All kit partners will be required to pick up their habitat kit at the designated location, however, accommodations for local delivery requested in advance will be considered.
Planting, Maintenance, Reporting
Project partners that are selected to receive habitat kits are responsible for creating a habitat installation and maintenance plan to ensure plants establish and provide long-term conservation benefits. Partners are then responsible for planting, care, and maintenance of the plants which Xerces provides. This includes watering, weeding, and protection - from pesticides and mammal browse. Watering includes ensuring at least 1 inch of water per week and possibly extra in the event of drought. Shrubs may require more watering than the wildflowers and grasses. All project partners also must submit a short project survey in the fall after receiving their kit and a final project report the following fall.
Additional information
- 2024 Pollinator Habitat Kit Partner Information
- Detroit Pollinator Habitat Kit Plant List
- What Makes a Successful Habitat Kit Proposal and Planting?
- Detroit Pollinator Habitat Kit Planting and Maintenance Guide (coming soon)
- Pollinator Habitat Kit ID Cards (coming soon)
- 2023 Pollinator Habitat Kit Partner Information
Detroit Pollinator Habitat Kit 2023 Partner, Detroit Hives kit planting in September 2023. Photo by Laura Rost / Xerces Society.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who should I contact if I have questions?
You can contact [email protected] with any questions about our Detroit pollinator habitat kit program.
How do I participate in the habitat kit program?
Project Partner Proposal Forms for the Detroit pollinator habitat kits will be available on February 5, 2024. The form asks for information about where the kit will be planted, size of the area, and plans for site preparation, management, and maintenance, as well as plans for pesticide risk mitigation and outreach opportunities, if applicable.
What is required of all participants?
All participants are required to plant their kit(s) within two weeks of receiving the kit and to follow the plan outlined in your proposal form. Until kits are in the ground, plants will need to be watered daily and kept out of intense sunlight and heat to prevent drying out. Once the kit is planted, you must contact us to let us know the kit is planted and share some photos. Participants will be contacted in fall 2024 to provide feedback on the kit program and again in fall 2025 to provide more detailed information on the success of the planting, such as plant survival numbers, photos of plantings, comments on pollinator visitors, and outreach activities. Participants will receive a Project Partner Collaborative Agreement that outlines all requirements prior to picking up the kit.
What plants are in the kits?
Please see the downloadable list of the tentative plant species and other information will be available soon. The final plant list may minimally change as species are substituted/omitted depending on nursery availability.
How much space do I need for a kit?
For one kit, you will need approximately 225-425 square feet in total. About 175-375 square feet for the herbaceous plants and about 9-22 square feet for each of the three shrubs. Please keep in mind that these plants can be planted in different areas of your property. See the plant list for the approximate size of each plant species. For herbaceous species, we recommend planting at 12-18 inch spacing. This closer spacing allows the plants to establish more densely and better out-compete weedy species that may otherwise pop up in the empty space between plants.
When will the kits be available?
We are planning for kits to be available for pickup Saturday June 1, 2024 - more details soon.
How do I get my kit?
Kits will be transported from Wildtype Native Plant Nursery and available for pick up at Keep Growing Detroit in Detroit, MI. More details to follow for recipients.
Can I have the kit delivered to me?
It is strongly preferred that habitat kit partners pick-up their kits from Keep Growing Detroit. Partners that are unable to pick up their habitat kit can submit a special request to see if delivery is available.
Can I purchase a kit on my own?
No, unfortunately, these kits are not available for public purchase.
How did you decide what plants to include in the kits?
Plants were chosen to provide the best foraging and host plant resources for native pollinators and beneficial insects (predators of common crop pests) on Detroit urban farms and gardens. The selection was based on numerous sources, such as technical reports, research datasets, and communications with local pollinator experts, including the Xerces Society’s Great Lakes Pollinator Resource Center (native plant lists, habitat installation guides), USDA PLANTS Database, Bill Schneider with Wildtype Native Plant Nursery, Mary Jamieson with Oakland University, MSU’s Michigan Pollinator Initiative. The plants chosen bloom at different times, providing pollen and nectar throughout the growing season. Other considerations that determined species selection included seed availability, ease of greenhouse propagation, and spring planting suitability. Lastly, the selection was based on Detroit’s unique urban environment, for suitability to urban soils, drought tolerance, and plant heights (4 feet and shorter).
Can I get technical assistance for creating pollinator habitat and preparing for, planting, and maintaining my kit?
Yes! We are happy to help. You may contact [email protected] with questions about your project and for advice on how to ensure that your project will be successful. You can also find a variety of informational materials on our website. Please review the What Makes a Successful Habitat Kit Proposal and Planting document, and a planting guide for our Detroit Urban Ag Pollinator Habitat Kits is coming soon!
How many kits can I request?
Interested partners may request between 1 to 2 kits, but kits will be limited based on the number of project proposals received. Please let us know if you require a certain number of kits for your proposed project to be successful.
Can I use my habitat kit(s) in projects for which I am receiving financial assistance from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)?
If you have a contract from the NRCS to receive financial assistance to plant pollinator or beneficial insect habitat, please contact your NRCS Conservationist to determine if these kits could be used to help offset costs of purchasing plant materials for the creation of that contracted habitat. The NRCS planting must still meet NRCS practice standards and contract terms. If you want to learn more about applying for financial assistance from the NRCS, please contact your local service center in Ann Arbor, or reach out to Stefanie Steele ([email protected]) for help in connecting with the appropriate conservation planner at the NRCS.
I do not live in the Metro Detroit area. Am I eligible for a kit?
Unfortunately, we can only provide kits to people who will be planting them in the defined priority sites in Metro Detroit. If you are just outside of the Metro Detroit area, please contact Stefanie to see if your site is applicable. If you are located outside of Michigan, we also have habitat kit programs in other regions of the U.S., and over time, we hope to expand our habitat kit program to further parts of the country.
How can I support the Xerces habitat kit program?
The habitat kits are possible thanks to the generosity of Xerces Society donors and members. Find out how you can support the Xerces Society at xerces.org/donate
