The Xerces Society is offering habitat kits that contain native milkweed and pollinator-friendly wildflowers and shrubs at no cost to Oregon farmers and community partners. This unique program offers carefully selected, native and regionally appropriate plants directly to our partners for shovel-ready projects aimed at providing habitat for pollinators. Many insect pollinators are declining in Oregon, including bees and butterflies. One important step we can take to protect pollinators is to increase the amount of pesticide-free habitat available to these species. To this end, the Xerces Society is offering habitat kits that contain climate-smart native plants to project partners who are willing to provide the time, labor, and land to develop habitats that support monarchs and other pollinators.
Qualifying Projects
Kits will be available this year to create monarch and pollinator habitat in the Willamette Valley and the Klamath-Siskiyou region of SW Oregon. The habitat kits are intended to be used to create monarch and pollinator habitat on both working and non-working lands. This includes privately owned farms, ranches, forests, urban farms or community gardens, city parks, school gardens, as well as other public areas and community spaces. The kits are not intended to be used in home gardens.
We encourage project participation proposals that will benefit historically underserved or underrepresented communities.
Stewards of working lands are encouraged to use the resources available from organizations or entities that can provide additional technical support for their projects, such as Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or other conservation organizations.
If you have questions about your project’s suitability or requests for technical guidance on your project, please email us at [email protected].
Qualifying Locations
We have kits available for the Willamette Valley and the Klamath-Siskiyou region of southern Oregon. Explore the Oregon Habitat Kit Map to see if your project is within one of the habitat kit regions.
Please note: If you do not see your region listed, we do not have kits suitable for your region. To express your interest in expanding the program in Oregon in the future, please fill out this interest form. If you meet the requirements this year and would like to submit a proposal form, please use the link below.
Available Kits
We have three types of habitat kits available and the contents of each kit type vary by project type and/or kit region. All kit types are available in both the Willamette Valley and Klamath-Siskiyou regions. The plant species within the kits may vary by region because we want to work with local plant producers and use local plant ecotypes in our habitat kits as much as possible. Please reference the map to ensure your project area is within one of the kit regions.
All kits are comprised of native plants that have been identified as having high value to monarchs and other pollinators and are grown without the use of systemic pesticides that may be harmful to pollinators. You may request multiple kits if needed for your project. Kit contents are tentative and subject to change based on availability.
Hedgerow Kits
This kit type contains approximately 40 woody and herbaceous transplants with flowering shrubs and forbs including milkweed. This kit type is intended to be used to create hedgerows to provide monarch and pollinator habitat on both working and non-working lands. Each kit will cover approximately 240 linear ft / 2400 ft2 if planted on 6 ft spacing. Container sizes range from tree band to 1 gallon. Minimum order of 1 kit / project. Additional kits can be requested for larger projects.
Wildflower Grassland Kits
This kit type contains flowering forbs and grasses. Each kit will cover approximately 400 ft2 if planted on 3 ft spacing. Container sizes range from tree band to 1 gallon. Minimum order of 1 kit / project. Additional kits can be requested for larger projects.
- Willamette Valley: Wildflower Grassland Habitat Kit Plant List
- Klamath-Siskiyou: Wildflower Grassland Habitat Kit Plant List
Riparian/ Wet Soils Kits
This kit type contains approximately 40 native shrubs and trees that will cover approximately 240 linear ft / 2400 ft2 when planted at 6 ft spacing. This kit contains plants that do well in riparian areas and can tolerate some seasonal flooding. Minimum order of 1 kit / project. Additional kits can be requested for larger projects.
More information to download
Participation Process
Proposals
We are accepting project proposals for our 2024 Oregon habitat kit program from February 22 to April 12, 2024.
The Project Proposal 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.
Note that there are a limited number of kits and not everyone who expresses interest will receive one. Participants are selected based on the project information set out in the project proposal form as well as considerations such as location and habitat implementation and management plans.
Distribution
Kits will be available for pick-up in October. You will be provided with habitat kit pick-up days and locations if/when your proposal is awarded a kit(s). There will be a range of dates (usually around 2 days) and times when the kits will be available for pick-up.
- Willamette Valley kits will be available for pick-up at the USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Corvallis, Oregon
- Klamath-Siskiyou kits will be available for pick-up at the Talent Community Center, Talent, Oregon
Planting, Maintenance, Reporting
You are required to plant the kit by November 30, 2024, and to follow the plan outlined in your proposal. Once the kit is planted, you must contact us to let us know the kit is planted, and share some photos. A brief report (~1–2 pages) is due the following June which should include information such as the amount of area planted and the establishment success of the project. If awarded a kit, you will receive a project partner collaborative agreement that outlines all requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should I contact if I have questions?
After reading through the FAQs, please contact us at [email protected] with any additional questions about the Oregon Habitat Kit Program.
How do I participate in the Habitat Kit Program?
Project Proposals for Oregon Monarch and Pollinator Habitat Kits will be available each year in early spring. The Project Proposal 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 participants?
You are required to plant the kit within a reasonable amount of time after receiving the kit (~1 month), and to follow the plan outlined in your interest form. Once the kit is planted, you must contact us to let us know the kit is planted, and share some photos. A brief report (~1–2 pages) is due the following June which should include information such as the amount of area planted and the establishment success of the project. If chosen to participate, you will be sent a Project Partner Collaborative Agreement that outlines all requirements for your signature.
Which regions of Oregon are kits available for?
Habitat kits are available for the Willamette Valley and the Klamath-Siskiyou region of SW Oregon. See map above.
When will the kits be available?
Habitat kits will be available for pickup in October. You will be provided with habitat kit pick up days and locations if/when your Project Proposal is selected for participation.
Can I have the kit delivered to me?
Kit delivery is not available. You must pick up your kit from our kit distribution locations in October 2024.
How did you decide what plants to include in the kits?
The plant species included in these kits are all native to Oregon and have been determined based on climate adaptiveness, regional and site suitability and pollinator attractiveness. All kits include monarch host plants, milkweed and nectar plants used by adult monarchs. The SW Oregon Herbaceous Kit was specifically designed to provide a wide variety of monarch nectar and host plants. These plants were chosen based on monarch nectaring observations. Visitation data provides good general guidance on which plants are preferred by monarchs.
I would like to create a pollinator garden at a school (or other public place). Which kit type should I choose?
The Willamette Valley Hedgerow Kit is designed to create a dense border planting and includes many larger shrubs that would be inappropriate for most small pollinator gardens. The Klamath-Siskiyou SW Oregon Monarch and Pollinator Herbaceous Kit would be appropriate for small working lands and pollinator gardens at schools or other public spaces.
I am receiving additional funds for my project through an NRCS Farm Bill Program and / or a grant. Can I still participate in the Program?
Yes, you may be able to leverage other funding sources and participate in the program. However, you must check in with your NRCS or other contact to make sure you are still fulfilling your contractual obligations.
Are habitat kits organic?
Habitat kits are not certified organic, but are grown without the use of harmful pesticides.
Can I purchase a kit on my own?
The kits are not available for sale.
Can I get technical assistance for creating and maintaining my kit?
Yes! We are happy to help. You may contact us at [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 information and materials on our website, particularly in the Pollinator Conservation Resource Center.
If you are interested in planting a kit on working lands, you may also want to seek assistance from your local Soil and Water Conservation District or the NRCS.
I do not live in Oregon. Am I eligible for a kit?
Unfortunately, we can only provide these kits to people who will be planting them in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and the Klamath-Siskiyou region of SW Oregon. See our habitat kit program webpage for information on kit programs in other parts of the country.
How can I support the Xerces habitat kit program?
Oregon habitat kits are supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service, and Xerces Society donors and members.
