Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens honors the impact of National Pollinator Month each June by highlighting the essential role pollinators play in supporting biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, and nearly one out of every three bites of food we eat.

Join us for a guided field walk with renowned biodiversity explorer and Naturalist Damon Tighe. Learn to spot and photograph pollinators around the gardens. Bring your cell phones and cameras, and learn the tricks for sneaking up on bees, flies, butterflies, and the occasional beetle, and which photos you need to get them identified. The walk will also focus on floral scents, as they can often help you understand what pollinators might be showing up to these plants.

Whether you are a seasoned naturalist or simply curious about the buzzing world around you, this event offers a chance to slow down, observe closely, and connect with the small but mighty creatures keeping our gardens — and planet — thriving.

The Details​​

• The walk will begin at the MCBG Farmhouse.

• Come prepared to use your cell phone or camera to take photos and upload them to iNaturalist

• We will cover some ground across a variety of terrain (gravel, grass, uneven surfaces). For your comfort and safety, we recommend sturdy, comfortable footwear.

• Be prepared for the weather with appropriate layers.

• Bring a water bottle, notebook, and a pencil/pen. If you have one, bring a hand lens.

Above photo by MCBG Volunteer Mike Pociecha.

Extra Credit

Make the most of your Pollinator Walk experience by joining Damon Tighe for his Saturday afternoon talk, "Stinky Flowers and the Pollinators That Love Them," the day before. Discover the surprising world of flies and other often-overlooked native pollinators, then bring that knowledge into the gardens during Sunday’s field walk as you learn to spot, photograph, and better understand the remarkable creatures keeping our ecosystems buzzing along. Tiny wings, enormous impact.