Santa Barbara’s pollinators are getting some honey. Habitats for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators — the often unsung, but extremely important agricultural workers — will be sprouting on farms and ranches along the Central Coast, thanks to a $2 million grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) through its Pollinator Habitat Program.
The Cachuma Resource Conservation District and its partners (the Community Environmental Council, Santa Barbara Botanical Garden, and Ventura County Resource Conservation District) will use the funds to work directly with local farmers and ranchers — planting the seeds for pollinator-friendly habitats and management practices to bolster pollinator populations.
These habitats will feature native flowers, host plants crucial for butterfly reproduction (e.g., milkweed for monarchs), and other suitable elements for a critter to call home.
In return, the busy bees will nourish the region’s share of California crops that rely on them. The state produces more than one-third of the nation’s vegetables and two-thirds of the nation’s fruit and nuts, nearly $12 billion of which are dependent on pollinators.
Santa Barbara County’s agricultural industry, valued at over $1.9 billion, would suffer without our local pollinators. Even strawberries, our most valuable crop, are self-pollinating but often need the tiny farmers to reach their full, flavorful potential.
“Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties are heavily agricultural communities, producing a diverse array of crops that compose a significant portion of the region’s GDP,” said Doug Kern, Executive Director of the Gaviota Coast Conservancy. “These crops rely on healthy pollinator populations to thrive.”
However, these species face challenges due to habitat loss, pesticides, disease, and climate change. The loss of pollinators negatively affects both agriculture and natural ecosystems in California, the CEC says. Much of California’s natural biodiversity is sustained by them.
Around 1,600 native bee species call California home, with Santa Barbara alone hosting more than 100 different types. Although recent rains and wildflower blooms seem to have helped local bee populations, they’ve been declining globally for years. They aren’t alone: various butterfly populations (like Ellwood’s beloved monarchs) have also suffered significant drops in numbers.
The Pollinator Habitat Program, established by the Budget Act of 2021, aligns with CDFA’s Climate Smart Agriculture incentive programs. Projects funded through the program anticipate multiple benefits to California’s biodiversity and agriculture, such as aiding environmentally-friendly integrated pest management, supporting other beneficial species, enhancing carbon sequestration, and improving soil health.
“This project aligns with CEC’s broader climate resilience and climate-smart agriculture initiatives that aim to reverse the compounding effects of climate change, such as extended drought, extreme heat, and flood,” said Em Johnson, CEC’s director of climate resilience. “To build true community-wide resilience, CEC is pioneering climate adaptation and resilience efforts that are rooted in equity and catalyzed by place-based innovation, elevating solutions that are community-led, ready to activate, and intersectional, supporting a broad range of community needs.”
Want to get involved? The Community Environmental Council is working with other project partners to identify eligible farms and ranches in the region, and provide technical assistance. Applications are currently open for farmers and ranchers who wish to apply for up to $200,000 to plant and maintain pollinator habitats, such as hedgerows, cover crops or riparian forest buffers. Apply at cec.pub/pollinatorapp.
