Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_496437

16 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / DECEMBER 2025 Integrating Pollinator Habitat into Our Communities: Win-Win F or decades development has pri- marily focused on maximizing land’s value for human habita- tion, recreation and leisure. Environ- mental protection, preservation, and renewal are often limited in scope to only what is required by the pertinent legal authorities. This approach has resulted in measurable degradation of the natural world and adverse effects that research increasingly shows have a direct negative impact on us. To mitigate and even reverse these trends we must identify opportunities to provide natural habi- tat within the spaces and communities we design. Recently, a major focus in ecology has been the loss of pollinator habitat and its far-reaching effects on the countless species that depend on it for survival. To focus on Colorado specifically, recent studies have found that insect populations here have fallen by more than 60% in the past few decades, with habitat loss being a primary contributor to this decline. This issue is especially con- cerning given the findings of the “Colorado Native Polli- nating Insect Health Study,” commissioned by the state in 2022, which reported that “billions of dollars’ worth of agricultural production” depends on pollinating insects. Beyond their agricultural value, the study also notes that pollinators provide essential ecosystem services includ- ing climate regulation, erosion control and nutrient cy- cling. Pollinator habitat also offers benefits to developers and residents. A recent report issued by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth at the University of Chicago found that home prices in communities sur- rounding development that prioritizes environmental protection and preservation see an increase in value of as much as 10%. Colorado’s natural beauty and open spaces continue to attract new residents, and people in- creasingly view their homes as part of a larger, intercon- nected environment. There is a growing focus on how their surrounding environment positively contributes to their sense of well-being. Municipalities throughout the state increasingly require allocation of naturalized areas within developments that expand and connect a growing network of wildlife and pollinator corridors. Norris Design recently completed the Bloom mas- ter-planned community in Fort Collins, which includes a Pollinator Master Plan to support and promote pollina- tor habitat throughout the site. The team worked close- ly with the developer, Hartford Homes, and the city of Fort Collins to craft design standards for residents and the metro district to utilize in both common and private landscapes, ensuring a vibrant and connected ecosys- tem throughout the community. Another development, McWhinney’s Baseline project in Broomfield, was de- signed in partnership with the Butterfly Pavilion to be the world’s first designated Pollinator District, connect- ing natural resources, government agencies, developers, and conservation organizations in a new model for sus- tainable growth. This thoughtful approach to design has resulted in eager buy-in from developers and quick prog- ress on build-out and construction. Baseline demonstrates what can happen when devel- opers work not just with a municipality, but also with nonprofit, environmentally focused entities to validate and help sell the overall vision of a community to the public. In the era of “not in my backyard,” engagement with organizations not often associated with develop- ment can successfully leverage their goodwill to com- municate the benefits and added value a project will offer the public. These opportunities for partnership are not limited to the early stages of development. Groups such as the National Wildlife Federation have departments that can From the Groupd Up Carl Runge Senior Associate, Norris Design