Biodiversity in Practice: City Programs and Community Partnerships
Beyond policies and plans, many cities support biodiversity through city-run programs and partnerships with local nonprofits, volunteers and community groups. This is often where implementation capacity resides, filling gaps created by limited staffing or the absence of enforceable standards.
Palo Alto works with organizations such as Primrose Way Pollinator Garden, Canopy, Grassroots Ecology and Save The Bay. Similar partnerships throughout the region engage volunteers to:
Remove invasive plants and weeds.
Plant and maintain locally native trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers.
Restore creek, riparian, wetland and upland habitats.
Create and maintain pollinator gardens and habitat corridors.
Propagate native plants and collect seeds.
Conduct community-science surveys and collect ecological data.
Clean up creeks, shorelines, parks and open spaces.
Care for young street and park trees.
Lead or support environmental education and nature activities.
