First Pollinator District Shows How Communities Can Help Nature

The Baseline neighborhood in Colorado shows us how communities can help nature thrive. This development is the first official pollinator district in the United States. The community uses smart design to support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators while creating great homes for families.

Before Baseline was built, scientists found only 11 families of pollinators in the area. By 2025, they documented 27 different families living there. Individual pollinator counts jumped from 587 in 2023 to 3,805 in 2025. Western honeybees increased by 272% in just one year. These numbers show that thoughtful planning can bring nature back to life.

The community includes 1,200 homes starting at $500,000, which is below the local average of $600,000 to $625,000. Every home sits within 1,600 feet of a pocket park. The development dedicates 170 acres to natural spaces filled with native plants that attract pollinators. Bike paths and walking trails connect the neighborhoods.

Residents feel invested in their pollinator neighbors. When scientists do surveys, homeowners come outside to share what they have seen in their gardens. The Butterfly Pavilion nonprofit created the pollinator district model and now brings this approach to other communities across Colorado. Our neighborhoods can become places where both people and nature flourish together.