Park(ing) for Pollinators!

By Erica Freese and Stephanie Kopplin

Kari Hackney, Kim Matsushino, and Stephanie Kopplin at the pollinator parklet.

Tucson Audubon participated in its first Park(ing) Day Friday, September 15. This year’s focus was on pollinators, which is right up our alley! Each participating organization was provided a parking spot on Stone Ave., across from Jácome Plaza in downtown Tucson, to create a welcoming exhibit to interact with and educate the public.

Park(ing) Day is a global, public, participatory project where people across the world temporarily repurpose curbside parking spaces and convert them into public parks and social spaces to advocate for safer, greener, and more equitable streets for people.

Tucson Audubon's urban conservation, education, and community engagement teams had a fantastic time creating a pop-up parklet and advocating for pollinators. We had lots of pollinator-friendly plants, nest and bee boxes, educational materials, and a coloring station.

 

Our tent was visited by curious toddlers, students, educators, long-time conservationists, members of local government, entrepreneurs, and even a queen butterfly. We promise, it was not a paid actor!

A queen butterfly visits the parklet!

We shared tips and tricks to attract and protect pollinators, danced with partner organizations, and marveled at the exciting ways teams reimagined public space and the built environment through their temporary installations. 

Do you have an idea you'd like to explore to increase urban habitat? Reach out to us! We'd love to help: urbanhabitats@tucsonaudubon.org. We also encourage you to follow us on Facebook or Instagram @tucsonaudubon to learn about upcoming events.

 

 

Stephanie Kopplin is the Director of Urban Conservation & Sustainability for Tucson Audubon.

Erica Freese is the Grant Development Specialist for Tucson Audubon.