Protecting pollinators

Scatter Creek research project

Learn how we are studying new restoration methods to contribute to a sustainable pollinator habitat.

In 2024, WSDOT created a one-acre public demonstration “lab” of pollinator habitat at the Scatter Creek Rest Area (testing new products and theories for pollinator establishment and success. The project used common construction methods to support repeatable actions and costs in larger project context throughout the state.

Research plots

WSDOT divided the one-acre space into eight individual plots isolated by split-rail wood fencing for ease of long-term maintenance delineation and monitoring while limiting public encroachment. Each plot represents a unique strategy for pollinator habitat creation using different soil and seeding treatments.

Soil treatments

Compost is commonly used on WSDOT projects and used to compare a typical approach with other alternatives. A 3-inch depth was applied.

Biochar Amended Compost (BAC) is an 85% Compost, 15% Biochar blend that was used as a new product to compare a compost only approach. WSDOT seeks to better understand the soil quality capabilities for Biochar, a relatively unused product, for plant establishment success. A 3-inch depth was applied.

Biotic Soil Amendment (BSA) is a soil enhancing organic material that includes microbial stimulators, growth mediums, and soil stabilizers to accelerate the soil building capabilities of existing native soils. BSA was hydraulically applied with the hydroseeding process.

All plots used the same combination of grass and pollinator species and rates for seeding to not influence plant diversity responses to the soil treatments. 

Pollinators, like bees, rely on different sources of pollen and need different types of habitat. Having a diversity of pollen sources and of habitat, within and adjacent to our right of way, is critical to pollinator health.

Review our Creation of pollinator habitat list (PDF 233KB) to learn how most restoration sites can provide habitat for a wide variety of pollinators.

You can also refer to our flowering charts to help choose native plants for your region:

• Sequential Flowering Native Plants of the PNW Western WA (PDF 62KB)
• Sequential Flowering Native Plants of the PNW Eastern WA (PDF 54KB)
• Sequential Flowering Native Prairie Species South Puget Sound (PDF 54KB)

Meet the pollinators

Animal pollinators play a crucial role in flowering plant reproduction and in the production of most fruits and vegetables. Neither plant nor pollinator populations can exist in isolation – should one disappear, the other is one generation away from disaster.

Follow the links below to learn about these very important pollinators and the flowers they visit (Source: USDA Forest Service):

• Ants
• Bats
• Bees
• Beetles
• Birds
• Butterflies
• Flies
• Moths
• Unusual
• Wasps

What is pollination?

Pollination: the act of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma.

Flowers rely on vectors to move pollen, including wind, water, birds, insects, butterflies, bats, and other animals that visit flowers. We call animals or insects that transfer pollen from plant to plant “pollinators”.

Pollination usually occurs during an animal’s activity on a flower. While the pollinator eats, collects pollen for its protein and other nutrition, or sips nectar from the flower, pollen grains attach themselves to the animal’s body. When the animal visits another flower for the same reason, pollen can fall off onto the flower’s stigma and may result in successful reproduction of the flower. (Source: USDA Forest Service)