The plants at the Nature Reserve Headquarters are flourishing as we move into summer, and all the local pollinators such as bees and butterflies, have a new place to gather. This May, we finished the installation of our Native Plant Pollinator Garden at The Nature Reserve Headquarters. The project began last year in April when we were approached by scout Brianna Kramer as she was looking to complete her Eagle Scout requirements. After reviewing the various project needs for The Nature Reserve, she decided to work on planting a pollinator garden in one of the fenced-in areas that was an earlier Eagle Scout project. Once she submitted her proposal to The Nature Reserve staff and it was accepted, she began to raise funds and conduct research for the garden.

Brianna reached out to the Tree of Life Nursery that specializes in native plants for input and then presented her plan to The Nature Reserve staff. Because the season for planting would not be until late fall or winter, the project was broken up into two phases. Brianna and her Scout troop and other volunteers came out and prepared the site by clearing out weeds, laying out weed barrier cloth and contouring the soil. A path of decomposed granite was laid out to create a teaching space and walkway for visitors. Weather and scheduling conflicts pushed back the planting until this January. During that time, Brianna developed a Gold Star project with the Girl Scouts to help raise funds for the native plants going into the garden. On January 20th, Brianna and other volunteers planted 80 plants, with 20 different native plant species selected to attract pollinators like the honeybees we are familiar with, but also bumblebees and native bees like mason bees. Hummingbirds, beetles, moths, and butterflies will hopefully begin to make our garden one of their favorite stops. 

Brianna started her scouting career as a kindergartner in Girl Scouts and was a founding member of her Scouts BSA troop in 7th grade. She has always had a passion for plants and animals and has enjoyed many adventures in the outdoors. Brianna is a senior at Trabuco Hills High School and has been awarded the rank of Eagle Scout as well as earning the Gold Award with the Girl Scouts. She will be attending the University of California Riverside this fall, majoring in Biochemistry. We would like to thank her and recognize her work in giving us another teaching tool and wish her success in her continuing education and career.