Improving the urban ecology of northern Waller Creek through citizen implemented green infrastructure to benefit pollinators

What pollinator-focused green infrastructure designs are most likely to benefit the urban ecology of Waller Creek, an urban creek in Austin, TX given its unique social and environmental characteristics? This research aims to accomplish three things: 1. Better understand strategies to create successful green infrastructure that supports pollinators; 2. Understand obstacles and motivating factors for stakeholders who wish to implement pollinator-focused green infrastructure; 3. Provide guidance to help people implement successful green infrastructure that supports pollinators and synergy between people and their urban ecosystem. This study analyzes case studies of pollinator-focused green infrastructure, conducts interviews with professionals in fields related to pollinators, community engagement, or green infrastructure, surveys stakeholders of the Northern section of the Waller Creek watershed, and creates two designs of pollinator-focused green infrastructure to provide visual guidance to those wishing to implement similar projects. The goal of this research is to better understand what people can do to ensure the vitality of urban ecosystems and to encourage citizens to become stewards of their environment. This thesis also expands on the notion of social systems as a vital part of green infrastructure interventions and the need for civic environmentalism to support small-scale green infrastructure. By establishing multiple small pockets of pollinator-focused green infrastructure along Waller Creek and encouraging more pollinator friendly maintenance methods we can create a pollinator corridor with the creek as the spine.