The Valencia City Council has opened the Pollinator Garden along the old bed of the Turia River, near the Pont dels Serrans bridge. The space covers 5,383.93 square meters as part of a total project area of 7,795.87 m² and was created with the goal of increasing the presence of pollinating insects and diversifying urban habitats for wildlife.
The project involved planting 7,979 native shrubs and five trees, along with sowing mixtures of flower seeds selected to attract pollinators throughout the different seasons of the year.
The timing of the opening is no coincidence: the city council waited until the vegetation had reached its optimal growth and conditions were most favorable for the presence of these insects.
Infrastructure for Urban Wildlife
Beyond the planting, the garden incorporates elements specifically designed to support wildlife. Birdhouses and bat shelters have been installed, and a dry stream bed has been constructed to serve as a drainage ditch.
Several raised areas, marked off with logs and wooden discs, and a low stone wall complete the layout of the space, which serves as a refuge for insects and other small organisms.
The site is enclosed by a perimeter fence made of wooden posts and has two main entrances, each with an informational panel. Six interpretive panels are distributed throughout the garden, covering plants, pollinating insects, birds, and urban vertebrates, with a special focus on bats.
European funding and university collaboration
The garden is part of the “Renaturalization of the City of Valencia – Biodiversity Pilot” project, promoted by the City Council’s Parks and Gardens Department and funded by the European Union through Next Generation EU funds. The project is being carried out within the framework of the “Renaturalization Valencia 2022” program, in collaboration with the University of Valencia, the Global Nature Foundation, and SEO/BirdLife.
