RCD Project Tracker | CARCD WCB Climate and Wildlife: Resiliency thru Pollinator Habitat

View Fact Sheet

CARCD WCB Climate and Wildlife: Resiliency thru Pollinator Habitat

Back to all Projects

Proposal

Planning/Design

Implementation

Post-Implementation

Completed

Project Overview

Basics

Resource Area

Wildlife Habitat Improvement

Program

Invertebrate (Insect, Crustacean) Habitat Restoration

Project

CARCD WCB Climate and Wildlife: Resiliency thru Pollinator Habitat

Project Stage

Planning/Design

Project Description

Project Description: The RCRCD is proposing a multifaceted project that will support our on-going efforts in pollinator conservation; as well as increase our ability to bring pollinator/wildlife habitats into urban communities. The project will involve the modernization of our native plant nursery, repairs to our cold storage seed room, robust seed collection program to serve as reliable source of local native plant seed for a variety of organizations and the distribution/creation of wildlife/pollinator habitat and/or hedgerow kits for homeowners and others within our district boundaries, with a focus on disadvantaged communities.

Planning / Design Start Year

2023

Implementation Start Year

2024

Completion Year

2027

Last Updated

6/18/2025

Project Attributes

Census Tract Income

True

Direct Benefits to Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)

The RCRCD plans to offer our habitat kits to a variety of entities within our district boundaries. This includes, but not limited to, public schools, preschools/daycares, libraries, community gardens, homeowners, ranchers/farmers, and business owners. RCRCD has been working within our district communities, particularly schools, for over 70 years. This has allowed us to establish relationships with many people/entities in the community. We plan to utilize these contacts to reach those that could be interested in participating in our kit program. In addition, a bilingual flyer and social media campaign are in the works. Information will also be provided during the various outreach events we participate in and host throughout the year.

EnviroScreen

Due to the three major freeways that traverse through our district, all census areas of our district carry high pollution burdens. The lowest score was 68 and the highest score was 98.

Free and Reduced Lunch

True

Indirect Benefits to Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)

Disadvantaged communities will directly benefit from the new green spaces that have been added throughout their community. DACs historically lack trees and vegetated areas. Our pollinator kits will contain plants of various sizes and include trees. Plants, particularly trees, offer many benefits to a community including shade, which lowers energy costs of cooling, carbon sequestration, beautification, disaster preparedness, improvement to air and water quality, enhanced biodiversity and protection from city heat island effects. Exposure to green spaces has been linked to better overall physical and mental health. In addition, the bilingual educational materials included with our habitat kits will provide information on native plants, benefits of native plants and how to properly plant and care for native plants. DACs community members have been traditionally left out of environmental education and our materials will introduce these concepts to young and old.

Tribal Engagement (True/False)

False

Tribal Engagement

None

Location

To zoom, hold down Shift and drag a rectangle.

Location Notes

Pollinator kits will be distributed to interested parties that occur within our district boundaries. Native plant nursery expansion will occur at our Greenbelt property in Riverside, CA.

Location Information

Watersheds 5 Selected

Organizations

Project Association	Organization
Funder	Wildlife Conservation Board
Lead Implementer	Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District
Partners	California Association of Resource Conservation Districts Wildlife Conservation Board
Primary RCD	Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District
State Assembly Voting Districts	State Assembly District 58 State Assembly District 63
State Senate Voting Districts	State Senate District 31 State Senate District 32

Contacts

Project Primary Contact

Michele Felix-Derbarmdiker - Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District (RCRCD) (felix-derbarmdiker@rcrcd.org)

Performance Measures

Expected Performance Measures

Performance Measure	Subcategory	Expected Value
Habitat Restoration/Creation	Action Taken: Created Habitat Type: Other sensitive habitat	2 acres
Plants Installed		3,000
Plants Installed		Not Provided
Special Status Insect Species Habitat	Action Performed: Created Focal Species: Monarch butterfly Listing Status: Federal Candidate	2 acres
Underserved Communities (# of projects)		1

Reported Performance Measures

Reported Performance Measures are not relevant for Projects in the Planning/Design stage.

Financials

Budget

Estimated Total Cost

$233,111.95

Secured Funding

$233,111.95

Targeted Funding

$0.00

No Funding Source Identified Yet

$0.00

Funding Source	Secured Funding	Targeted Funding	Total
CARCD Climate Habitat Block Grant (WCB)	$233,111.95	$0.00	$233,111.95
Total	$233,111.95	$0.00	$233,111.95

Comment:	The budget will remain the same, but costs have significantly increased since the initial grant proposal, so some catergory shifts may be needed down the line.

Reported Expenditures

Funding Source	2023	2024	2025	Total
CARCD Climate Habitat Block Grant (WCB)	$25,589.73	$80,804.51	$0.00	$106,394.24
Grand Total	$25,589.73	$80,804.51	$0.00	$106,394.24

Note:	The total given, reflects the amount spent during calendar year 2023 and 2024.

Project Themes

Climate Change

As pollinators and other wildlife species, continue to struggle with ever-variable climates, private gardens have become islands of refuge. Homeowners often find the idea of native plants appealing but quickly get overwhelmed with the task of plant selection and care. Offering custom native plants kits for the various areas within out district will encourage property owners, libraries, schools etc., to take the plunge into habitat gardening, creating more climate resilient habitats within our communities.

Education

All habitat kits will include a bilingual educational handout. This handout will educate the kit receiver on their new native plants, care/planting of the plants and the importance/benefits of having these plants in urban environments.

Wildlife/Endangered Species

This project addresses habitat loss by expanding monarch, pollinator, and other wildlife habitat on public and private lands. Our nectar source plants will benefit a variety of pollinators but were selected with Western Monarchs in mind. Additionally, all habitat kits will include native locally sourced milkweed.

Local Farms

We have been able to make connections with several local farmers within our district. All have accepted a pollinator habitat kit to add along their groves, orchards or to serve as an educational tool for visiting school children. In 2025, farmers will also have the option to select a pollinator hedgerow kit.

Project Details

Attachments

Documents

PDF Kit Application

Uploaded On: 1/24/2025
File Type: PDF
Description: Copy of our fillable kit application form. The form is also available as a word document. Staff also have paper forms available to hand out to the public or those unable to access the online forms. The form will be available in Spanish in 2025.

Pollinator Habitat Kit Program Flyer 2024

Uploaded On: 1/24/2025
File Type: PDF
Description: PDF of the new pollinator habitat kit program, which is called 1, 2, 3...for the Butterflies and Bees.

Habitat Kit Species List