Opportunity for Northern New Mexico Farms & Ranches to plant Pollinator Habitat

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Native Bee on Woods’ Rose, Rosa woodsii, included in the Riparian Habitat Restoration Kit. Photo by Kaitlin Haase


The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is offering New Mexico Pollinator Habitat Restoration Kits this year to farms, ranches, tribal lands, conservation areas, and public spaces in Northern New Mexico.

The kits contain native, pesticide-free flowering shrubs and perennial wildflowers which provide forage and shelter for a diversity of pollinators and beneficial insects.

Loss of habitat is the main cause of decline for most pollinators and other wildlife species. Fortunately, quality pollinator habitat can be integrated into cities, farms, and other altered landscapes. Even small patches of native plants can help support a diversity of pollinators.

Since selecting and sourcing the right native plants for pollinator habitat can be challenging, Xerces developed the habitat kit program to provide plants and resources to our partners for shovel-ready projects.

In addition to creating wildlife habitat, these native plants can be used to cover bare ground, prevent erosion, and maintain soil health for years as all species are perennial.

When planted correctly in appropriate locations, these locally adapted plants will also need little to no watering once established, contributing to water-saving, climate-resilient landscapes.


Canada Goldenrod, Solidago canadensis, and Showy milkweed, Asclepias speciosa. Both species are included in the Riparian Habitat Restoration Kit. Photo by Kaitlin Haase


Two restoration kits are available this year, an upland kit for drier sites and a riparian kit for moist soil sites. Each kit contains 14 plants of 7 different species–a total of 98 transplants of perennial wildflowers and shrubs in 5-inch tubes.

The Upland Kit includes drought-tolerant native wildflowers and shrubs, which will require little to no water once established. These plants will require a total of 2,500 square feet of space total in mostly full sun.

The Riparian Kit contains species that require moist soils in floodplains, wetlands, and stream banks with access to the water table. These plants will require a total of 4,600 square feet of space total in part to full sun.

Properties eligible for these kits include working lands and conservation areas with landowners or land managers who commit the time, labor, space and 1-2 years of watering to establish these plants and protect the habitat from pesticides.

These kits are not available for residential use. (If you are a resident of Santa Fe and would like to plant a kit in your yard, please fill out a Santa Fe Pollinator Trail Habitat Kit Project Proposal, also available on Xerces’ website).


Native Bee on Apache Plume, Fallugia paradoxa, included in the Upland Habitat Restoration Kit. Photo by Kaitlin Haase


If you have questions about your project’s suitability or requests for technical guidance on your project, please email kaitlin.haase@xerces.org.



Xerces staff giving out Pollinator Habitat Restoration Kits. Photo by Kaitlin Haase


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