Somerville Pollinator Action Plan Receives National Honor Award

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne is honored to announce that the Somerville Pollinator Action Plan (SPAP) has been awarded a National Honor Award in the Analysis & Planning category by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). This national recognition follows a Jury Special Recognition Award from the Boston Chapter in May and highlights the Plan’s innovative approach to supporting pollinators and biodiversity in an urban setting. 

The SPAP is the first plan of its kind created specifically for an urban environment. Developed in collaboration with a 10-person Resident Advisory Committee, the consultant team from Offshoots, Inc., pollinator scientist Dr. Nicholas Dorian, and the City’s Public Space and Urban Forestry Division, the Plan is rooted in local data but designed for broad use. Its recommendations, plant lists, and design guidance are freely available online and applicable to communities, residents, and designers across the region. 

“This recognition shines a national spotlight on the incredible work of our community members, staff, and partners who came together to make Somerville a leader in pollinator protection,” said Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. “The Pollinator Action Plan is a model for how cities can promote biodiversity, protect the environment, and create a healthier future right from our own backyards.” 

City staff and the consultant team will present the project at ASLA’s national conference this October, where they will also formally receive the award. 

Get Involved: Become a Pollinator Champion 

As part of implementing the SPAP, the City is inviting residents to become Pollinator Champions by creating pollinator-friendly habitat in yards, on patios, stoops, or balconies.  

To qualify as pollinator habitat, spaces must meet a few simple criteria: 

• Provide food (native flowering plants)
• Offer shelter
• Include a place for pollinators to raise their young 

Somerville residents who create pollinator habitat can receive a free Pollinator Garden Sign by completing the pledge form. 

Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy in advance at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.