Creating biodiversity connectivity by planting California native plants in traffic medians
Just as human activity has caused a decrease/elimination of wildlife species, it also has the potential to contribute to the restoration of species in a variety of ways. Who would ever think an ordinary traffic median could become a thriving wildlife habitat, contributing to
biodiversity connectivity in a suburban area? This was my objective in 2009 when I “adopted” a bare traffic island with a 560-foot perimeter as part of Novato’s “Adopt a Median” program.
Located at the entrance to a residential neighborhood, the site was surrounded by open space, thus expanding the biodiversity corridor.With the assistance of the Novato Maintenance Department, the median was prepped and planted with 95% California native plants, not commonplace at the time. My purpose was to beautify, conserve water, and build healthy soil without the use of fertilizer and pesticides; thereby creating a thriving wildlife habitat and promoting sustainability in an otherwise wasted space.
Over this 14-year period, a native grassland/meadow formed — over 80 species of trees, shrubs, grasses, perennials, and annuals — becoming a vibrant habitat, attracting numerous pollinators, birds, and small mammals. In addition, a large swath of native Milkweed, Asclepsia speciosa and A. fascicularis was planted five or six years prior to create a Monarch waystation to support their declining numbers.
