We have started three pollinator gardens in Scottsdale, AZ: (1) Pima Elementary School (2) Mohave Middle School and (3) Scottsdale Community Garden Club as well as enhanced two existing pollinator habitats at the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC) with the funding. We did our initial plantings this Spring and now we are gearing up to do our larger Fall plantings. We had several dozen people involved in the planting efforts including students from Scottsdale Unified School District and Scottsdale Community College, SRPMIC community members, and volunteers. We have also funded student-designed signage for the project that will identify each of the gardens at part of the Maricopa Pollinator Pathway. We have several other schools that want to work with us next, and we are also planning to collaborate with teachers on integrating native plant/pollinator activities into their curricula.

On April 29th we began planting at Navajo Elementary School in Scottsdale Arizona for what will become a core level pollinator garden in the Maricopa Pollinator Pathway. We planted desert marigold, yellow bells, New Mexico thistle, globemallow, sunflowers and chuparosa. A second planting in the Fall is planned.

On April 22nd we did our first round of planting at Mohave Middle School in Scottsdale Arizona. A teacher and about 20 very enthusiastic seventh graders participated. We are creating a comprehensive level pollinator garden for the Maricopa Pollinator Pathway. On our planting list were: ironwood, globemallow, chuparosa, New Mexico thistle, yellow bells, and sunflowers. A second round of planting will be done in September/October once the worst of the summer's heat subsides.

During the week of Earth Day, the Maricopa Pollinator Pathway project partnered with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s (SRPMIC or Community) Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Division to help plant pollinator-friendly plants within the pollinator gardens at the Community’s demonstration treatment wetlands. The SRPMIC Way of Life Facility’s Youth Services Teens volunteered to help us with planting. The students learned about the Wetlands, how to properly plant, and about pollinators and the plants they enjoy.
In total, we planted 70 plants at two different sites, including ironwood, mesquite, creosote, globemallow, New Mexico thistle, desert marigold, chuparosa, and prickly pear. Both of the sites qualify as core level habitat in the Maricopa Pollinator Pathway, providing year round nectar/pollen, at least 3 larval host plant species, bare ground for native bee nesting habitat, no pesticide use, and other practices that benefit pollinators. Due to the harsh Sonoran desert summers, we have a second round of planting planned for Fall, where we will add many other nectar/pollen and larval host plants for pollinators.

We have completed our first round of planting at the Scottsdale Community Garden Club! These are the first two gardens that are officially part of the Maricopa Pollinator Pathway. One garden is being designed as a "contributing level" pollinator garden and the other the "core level".

We planted the following plants so far, with more planned after our summer heat: New Mexico thistle (Cirsium neomexicanum), blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucantha), globe mallow, (Sphaeralacea ambigua), desert lavender (Hyptis emoryi), chuparosa (Justicia californica), sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), prickly pear (Opuntia sp), desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata), penstemons (Penstemon sp), desert senna (Senna covesii) and chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata).