Improving Pollinator Habitat on McConnell Air Force Base

Military base managers have traditionally used non-native plant species in their landscaping. These non-native species provide limited food and habitat for native pollinators. Moreover, even though the AFB is located along a key migratory pathway for monarch butterflies, and contains important local natural resources, building a pollinator-friendly landscape had previously not been a priority. In addition to providing limited benefit to local wildlife, the traditional military landscape does little to support effective stormwater management. In 2016, USFWS began partnering with McConnell AFB to plant native species and integrate ecosystem engineering on the AFB landscape that utilizes nature-based solutions. Partners selected native species to both benefit pollinators and improve stormwater management and resilience to flood events.