Can Development Help Restore Pollinator Populations? Insights from a Unique District

The Pollinator District framework is a community planning model that incorporates pollinator habitats, native landscaping, sustainable design, research, and public education into real estate development to benefit bees, butterflies, and other vital species. Across North America, pollinator populations are declining, with a 2025 NatureServe study indicating that over 22% of native pollinators, including various bees and butterflies, are at risk of extinction. Additionally, U.S. beekeepers reported a staggering 55.6% loss of managed honey bee colonies from April 2024 to April 2025, marking the highest annual loss since tracking began in 2010. The implications extend beyond pollinators; nearly 90% of wild flowering plants rely on animal pollination, and over 75% of food crops benefit from it, underscoring the economic value of pollination services, estimated at over $235 billion annually.