Background
Jefferson Community Center in Eureka, California is a gathering place for education, community activism, and revitalization of its urban neighborhood. Formerly the Jefferson Elementary School, it was transformed by the Westside Community Improvement Association (WCIA), a group of volunteers who built a playground area, fields, and native plant gardens. The JCC is directed by Heidi Benzonelli-Burden, a Humboldt State engineering graduate.
Problem
The objective of this project is to develop a native plant garden in the Jefferson Community Center consisting of two parts: a field planted with low-growing native perennials, and a garden with food-bearing, pollinators, and medicinal plants. This will improve the aesthetics of the community center, while providing useful plant products to local residents.
Project Evaluation Criteria
The following Criteria will be used to assess the success of this project. These criteria were chosen based on the suggestions of the project coordinator as well as the diligent students who are working on the catchment system. The scale (1-10) represents the importance level of meeting the constraint of each listed criteria.
| Criteria | Constraints | Weight (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| Community | Create the ability for students at the JCC and local community members to have access to an area that can bring forth native pollinators and can be used for recreation. | |
| Maintainability | The appearance and usability of the garden and field are preserved by regular maintenance, including reseeding of plants which have died. | |
| Aesthetics | The layout of plants, their colors, and signage create a visual setting that enhances the community center’s appearance. | |
| Educational Aspect | The garden educates students and visitors on the importance of pollinators and native plants to the environment. | |
| Safety & Placement | Plants must not be too large at their base so children and adults can run freely through the field. The placement of plants also should not impede movement through the area. | |
| Reproducibility | The fields can be mowed which will allow the flowers to self-seed themselves. The process is well documented in clear language so that other people can implement a similar project in their own community. | |
| Usability | Ability for plants to grow effectively while also allowing recreational activity to occur. | |
| Functionality | Effectively supports pollinators at the Jefferson Community Center, while reseeding all species and creating an area for field related recreational activities. | |
| Cost | Must not exceed budget while being able to purchase majority of seeds needed. |
Literature Review (Zotovich)
This is a review of the available literature pertinent to the specific project.
Native Pollinating Plant Species
A large majority of flowering plants are dependent on pollinator species, whether they be insect or avian. Pollination is an ecosystem process that has evolved over millions of years to benefit both flowering plants and pollinators. Pollinators visit flowers for many reasons, including feeding, pollen collection, and warmth. Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
Concerns Regarding Native Pollinating Plant Species
Native herbaceous or perennial blooming species dependent on pollination can have the process provided by managed or wild pollinator populations. The honey bee is the most widely used managed pollinator and many crops directly depend on its use. However, it is well known that A. Mellifera (honey bee) workers are innefficient pollinators of some plant species, and alternative managed or wild species may do a better job. Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
Types of Native Pollinator Plant Species by Season
Every region has its own set of native pollinating plant species. Some more resilient than others, but most have seasonal life spans; this also depends on the climate and precipitation of the region. We break down different plant’s by seasonal flowering and sprouting cycle native to the Humboldt County, Arcata and Eureka areas; sea level. [1]
Late Winter - Early Spring
Hairy Manzanita, Arctostaphylos columbiana (extremely important to native bees & hummingbirds) Beach strawberry, Fragaria chiloensis Wood Strawberry, Fragaria vesca Twinberry, Lonicera involucrata (Can continue flowering through summer)
[2], advantages and disadvantages, and/or have a comparison matrix.
Spring
Western Columbine, Aquilegia formosa Pacific Bleeding Heart, Dicentra formosa Bush Monkey Flower, Mimulus aurantiacus (flowers all summer into fall) Currant & Gooseberry, Ribes spp. Fringe Cups, Tellima grandiflora White Inside-Out Flower, Vancouveria hexandra
[1]
Summer
Yarrow, Achillea millefolium (flowers all summer into fall) Clarkia, Clarkia spp. Coast Buckwheat, Eriogonum latifolium California Leopard Lily, Lilium pardalinum Orange Honeysuckle, Lonicera ciliosa Bigleaf Lupine, Lupinus polyphyllus Riverbank Lupine, Lupinus rivularis California Bee Plant, Scrophularia californica Checker Mallow, Sidalcea malviflora (long flowering)
Fall
California Fuchsia, Epilobium canum Coastal Gumweed, Grindelia stricta (long flowering) California Goldenrod, Solidago velutina ssp. californica (long flowering)
Literature Review
Native Pollinators
1. Shepherd, Matthew "California Plants for Native Bees" Xenes Society, pg.1-3
http://www.cnps.org/cnps/grownative/habitat/pollinators.php
Bees are crucial to our local ecological systems due to their pollination importance. Native bees are North America's most important group of pollinators.
2. Wilson, Bert & Wilson, Celeste "California Native Insect Pollinators", Las Pilitas Nursery, Nov. 18, 2012. Pg 1-2
http://www.laspilitas.com/insects/california-insect-pollinators.htm
Butterflies are also great pollinators. Some species include milkweed and brush-footed butterflies. And this link will give in depth detail to specific species and the plants that attract these native pollinators.
3. Mesler, Michael & Ackeman, James "The effectiveness of fungus gnats as pollinators" Dept. of Biology @ Humboldt and Florida State, 1980 pg. 564-567
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2442297?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Peer Reviewed Article upon the effectiveness of Fungus Gnats as pollinators. Fungus gnats can be effective pollinator vectors. Within overall fruit set and potential for cross pollination. This article gives more information upon how useful Fungus Gnats can be within the coastal redwood forests of Northern California.