Gachina Landscape believes in protecting our precious pollinators. Pollinator friendly practices have been a reality for Gachina for over 10 years when the Company started to offer its clients 100% organic landscape maintenance services. Furthermore, for the last two years, Gachina’s Sustainable Landscape Department has been installing certified wildlife habitats, butterflies’ gardens, organic vegetable gardens and bees’ refuges.
Partnering with Happy Hollow Park & Zoo (HHPZ), we assisted our client Bella Terra Apartments (EAH Housing Inc.) in participating in the HHPZ Progress for Pollinators program. EAH received a grant of $1,500 by dedicating an area of the landscape to the installation of a pollinators’ habitat.
HHPZ strives to influence people’s actions to conserve wildlife and value nature. Over the years the Happy Hollow Foundation has invested in several different conservation initiatives across the globe. They are dedicated to nurturing and protecting the wide array of unique biodiversity and to encouraging 
conservation in our local community. The best way to protect our native wildlife is to invest in landscaping that utilizes native plants that are pollinator friendly. Native plants are vital to the survival of our native pollinators, and they are often a more sustainable solution for water conscious landscaping than their introduced counterparts.
The pollinator habitat designed and installed by Gachina at Bella Terra Apartments has been recognized by the North American Butterfly Association (NABA) with two certifications – both Butterfly Garden and Monarch Garden certifications. NABA celebrates the efforts to create a garden space that creates a paradise for butterflies while encouraging habitat restoration by providing essential elements needed by butterflies– natural food sources, clean water, cover and places and food for larvae, butterflies young stage.
“By creating this special area at the property, Gachina Landscape Management provides the residents a unique way to enjoy their own backyard,” says Sustainability Manager Cristina Prevarin. “The Butterfly Garden and Pollinator’s Refuge represent an intriguing natural setting through the colorful appeal of plants, flowers, insects, birds and décor. This aesthetic draws residents and their families to the outdoors while at the same time increases their awareness of the environment and of the role that each one of us plays in preserving natural habitats.” Prevarin continues “this specific Butterfly Garden has been installed close to a busy public sidewalk and the railroad. The public is invited to explore the plant selection and educate themselves by reading the signs conveniently located along the sidewalk.”
The introduction of a pollinators’ habitat has several environmental benefits:
- Use of native and adaptive plants – they are hardier and require less resources to survive,
- Chemical applications are avoided to protect larvae and adults,
- Birds and beneficial insects such as lady bugs and praying mantis are attracted to the same habitats,
- Most important, butterflies are the second, after bees, most important pollinator.
In its second year, HHPZ is offering grants between $500-$2,500 again in 2018. Applications for the spring selection process will be accepted between February 2nd and February 28th, with award notifications occurring no later than April 1st. Your Gachina account manager will gladly walk you through the process and help make your property more pollinator friendly. Contact us at 650.853.0400 today!
