The City of Troutdale Parks Department has created these pollinator gardens along with community volunteers. These gardens were created to establish necessary habitat for the Monarch butterfly, whose habitat has been largely lost in this area. Sunrise Park happens to be in the migration path of the Monarch. While the Monarch is not considered an endangered species, its population has plummeted to record lows in recent years, according to the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife.
Pollinator gardens are planted with specific plants necessary for each specific butterfly. Monarch butterflies must have milkweed to lay their eggs. Painted Lady butterflies need plants from the mallow family. Unfortunately, the Monarch butterfly has lost so much of its habitat due to cutting down the milkweed before caterpillars have completed their eating cycle, the use of pesticides which disable the butterfly from completing its cycle and climate change when no proper vegetation is available.
These pollinator gardens at Sunrise Park were first established in March of 2020. There are three separate gardens containing host plants, native plants, annual flowering plants and some insect habitat. In the summer of 2023 and 2024 we have had sightings of the Monarch butterfly. As of the fall of 2024, we have almost completed installing a drip irrigation system to benefit the garden and decrease man-hours to water the gardens.
Volunteers usually meet once a week March – October to help maintain the pollinator garden. If you are interested in volunteering, sign up through our registration portal. Once registered, you will receive an email with more information. Feel free to contact volunteer coordinator Deb Peters at (484) 948-8926 with questions about the program. For help with registering, please contact the recreation department at (503) 665-9098 or recreation [at] troutdaleoregon.gov (recreation[at]troutdaleoregon[dot]gov).
