Creating a Pollinator Meadow

As part of our commitment to sustaining natural areas, Prospect Park Alliance has embarked on a multi-year project to create new pollinator meadows in the Nethermead, located in the heart of the park. The project will create new habitat for pollinator insects and birds, and bolster climate resiliency by planting native species along the edge of the Nethermead where the lawn meets the forest. To date, the Alliance’s Landscape Management staff and volunteers have planted a total of 6,700 native wildflowers and grasses. The idea of introducing meadow edges along forest landscapes in Prospect Park was first developed by the Alliance in the 1990s as part of our first landscape management plan. Now, our team is leading the charge in bringing this idea to life.

“It’s amazing to be part of Prospect Park history. I’m extremely excited about this project, since its success will hopefully lead to expanding these landscapes to other areas in the park, and enable the park to host even more pollinators, birds, small mammals and other wildlife,” said Prospect Park Alliance Landscape Manager Joe Sussman. “Additionally, meadows provide many more benefits than lawns, including increased stormwater absorption and carbon sequestration.”

Creating a meadow from scratch involves more than introducing new plants. Work began earlier this spring and has kicked into high gear this fall with multiple volunteer events supporting the preparation and planting of the sites. Before meadow plants could be welcomed to their new home, the Landscape Management team worked alongside volunteers to flip and scalp the sod to retain decomposing nutrients, remove invasive species such as mugwort and orchard grass, water the planting areas, and begin soil solarization, which is a nonchemical method for controlling soilborne pests. 

In June, volunteers weeded the areas and sowed over 50 pounds of buckwheat to provide a cover crop to prevent weeds. In October, staff and volunteers installed thousands of new plants. These contributions will go a long way to restoring these meadow areas. 

Find out how you can get involved with corporate and individual volunteering opportunities in the park.

Over the coming seasons, our Landscape Management team will work to seed areas with a native meadow seed mix and encourage new growth. The project showcases the long-term efforts of the Alliance to create a more sustainable park.

Learn more about how Prospect Park Alliance sustains the environment in Brooklyn’s Backyard and support our work.