ESCONDIDO — Fifth-graders at North Broadway Elementary School marked the arrival of spring by planting a new pollinator garden filled with native plants, part of a growing initiative to bring green spaces and outdoor learning to Escondido-area schools.
North Broadway, recently rebranded as NB Ranch, was one of three Escondido Union School District campuses to install a pollinator and indigenous plant garden last month. The project is a collaboration between the district and Nature Collective, a conservation nonprofit formerly the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy.
The gardens include native plant species designed to support bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators essential to San Diego County’s ecosystem.
“In an urbanized area, most habitats are developed, highly cultivated, and not native, so this allows us to establish these mini-corridors of native habitat, so pollinators have a refuge,” said Kristin Evans, senior director of education and outreach for Nature Collective. “Meanwhile, this garden also becomes a refuge for the students as much as the wildlife.”
Nature Collective focuses its work within the Escondido Creek Watershed and has developed a strong partnership with the school district over the years. The organization says students in Escondido — many of whom come from underserved and under-resourced communities — benefit from increased access to hands-on environmental education.
“All of these students and their schools are investing in conservation action projects, so they are hosting these corridors and ensuring that these plants and pollinators are going to be here for longevity,” Evans said.
Students played an active role in the garden’s development. Before planting day, fifth-graders helped design the garden’s layout. On site, Nature Collective staff guided them on how to properly remove native plants from their pots and place them into the soil.
The garden will serve as a “living classroom” for future learning, including Nature Collective’s eight-week afterschool program, which will teach students about pollinators, planting and environmental care. Teachers at NB Ranch also plan to incorporate the garden into their regular lesson plans.
Principal Cherry Moore said the garden is one of several site-wide changes designed to refocus the school on environmental science and expand outdoor learning opportunities.
“Now, when students read about pollinator gardens or learn about them in science, they’re going to know what that is,” Moore said.
The garden complements the school’s “Secret Garden,” which features citrus trees and other produce used in class projects. Additional planned features include a sensory garden, outdoor classroom, future vegetable gardens and hydroponics systems. The school has also added classes in woodworking and veterinary science.
Moore said the transformation is part of the district’s “Framework for the Future,” emphasizing whole-learner outcomes through personalized and inclusive education.
Next year’s project may include a “labyrinth” and sensory garden designed to help students regulate emotions and find a quiet space separate from the playground, she said.
Several local partners supported the pollinator garden, including Mountain Meadow Mushroom Farm, which donated mulch, and San Diego Gas & Electric, which provided grant funding to Nature Collective.
With the school located near agricultural programs at Escondido High School, Moore said the shift to environmental science gives NB Ranch students a natural pathway toward more advanced agriculture studies in the future.
