Design and Process 

The pollinator meadow within Edgewood Park reflects a commitment by the City of Surrey to enhance and maintain ecological connectivity within a rapidly developing area of Surrey. 

Given the full-sun aspect of the site, the meadow and wildlife corridors were designed to mimic drought-tolerant ecological communities found within the region using endemic forbs and grasses, shrubs and trees.  Species selected for the meadow were those known to be used by native pollinators (invertebrates and songbirds) throughout their life stages. The meadow provides structural diversity and variety, as well as forage and refuge for ground nesting birds and small mammals moving along the adjoining wildlife corridor.

For the pollinator meadow, a specialized soil mix was created to establish a substrate for plants designed to be drought tolerant and self-sustaining (based on locally occurring coastal sand ecosystem/grassland communities). Now that the plants have been established, weeding is done by hand with minimal disturbance. Soils are naturally enriched by leaf litter from the mature black cottonwoods that were retained as a key visual component of the meadow and through the native forbs and grasses that were planted and allowed to accumulate to enrich the soil and enhance carbon sequestering. 

The pollinator meadow at Edgewood Park supports the integration of the City's biodiversity conservation and design guidelines by adding a unique habitat feature to an otherwise manicured park space used for active recreation. The meadow enhances the structural diversity and connectivity between a future community garden and the newly created wildlife corridor along the park's edge. 

Community Collaboration

The pollinator meadow was designed by the City of Surrey’s Biodiversity Conservation Planner. Care of the meadow is part of ongoing monitoring and maintenance through Surrey's Parks Division. The project's designer and monitor is a Registered Professional Biologist in BC with over 25 years of experience in habitat restoration, landscape ecology and biodiversity conservation in urban landscapes.  Landscaping and natural areas management on the City of Surrey's public lands utilizes low impact, nature-based approaches based on the City's Natural Areas Management Plan and Biodiversity Design Guidelines.

During the public consultation process for the park, the pollinator meadow was highlighted as a natural amenity and there has been positive public feedback since the meadow was established. Interpretive signs along the pollinator meadow identify the sensitive nature and value of the site. 

The pollinator meadow is a hands-on location for youth in the Surrey Natural Areas Program (SNAP) to learn about the restoration and development of pollinator habitat and the monitoring and maintenance of pollinator landscapes.  In the long term, the pollinator meadow will be part of a network of naturally managed landscapes and connected wildlife corridors. These landscapes will provide learning opportunities for the wider community and landscape practitioners on ecological services and habitat restoration. 

Edgewood’s recognition in 2021 through SOUL’s Greener Greenspaces program helped catalyze further efforts in pollinator conservation and was the first project submitted by the City of Surrey to attain citywide Pollinator Steward Certification through Pollinator Partnership Canada

SOUL is pleased to recognize the Pollinator Meadow at Edgewood Park as a Greener Greenspace in 2021 and 2022. 

For more information on the park, visit the City’s park website.