Pollinator Pathway
New Haven
Welcome to the New Haven Pollinator Pathway. We are a network of pollinator gardens and community organizations promoting native plants, community gardens, greenspace and more. Doreen Abubakar is the founder and executive director of Community Place-making Engagement Network (CPEN) and organizer of New Haven’s Pollinator Pathway. CPEN is transforming vacant lots in New Haven, CT into gardens where teens propagate, grow, and sell pollinator- and bird- friendly native plants and vegetables. CPEN has launched two initiatives: the Native Urbanscapes Nursery project and the 4x4 Urban Salad Garden Kits for Newhallville residents, a food insecure neighborhood. With the garden kits, families receive everything they need to learn how to grow their own vegetables and eat healthier foods.
CPEN Events and Projects
All Things Pollinator Event
Urbanscapes Native Plant Nursery
144 Hazel Street, New Haven, CT
June 15 and Oct. 26 10AM-1PM
(Rain dates: June 16 and Oct. 27 1:00-4:00 Note time change for rain dates)
Spring- CPEN (Community Placemaking Engagement Network), Menunkatuck Audubon, Highstead (Ecotype Project), Audubon Connecticut (Robin), Pollinator Pathway, Victor DeMasi -Butterflies in My Backyard, Xerces Society, WildOnes, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Fall- CPEN (Community Placemaking Engagement Network), Menunkatuck Audubon, Highstead (Ecotype Project), Audubon Connecticut (Jillian), Pollinator Pathway, Victor DeMasi -Butterflies in My Backyard, Xerces, WildOnes, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Yale Peabody- Jim Sirch
What are the goals of All Things Pollinator Event?
- Create a place for people to learn about plants and pollinators.
- Provide education, resources and information and expand awareness and audience of CPEN and Urbanscapes Native Plant Nursery
Who is invited to the event?
- The local neighborhood and nursery customers from other areas
- Young people who want to learn about the environment
UrbanScapes Native Plant Nursery
133 Hazel St, New Haven CT
CPEN along with the local Menunkatuck Audubon Society received an Audubon in Action Grant in 2020 to create a native plant nursery on one of the vacant lots at the intersection. During the pandemic, they started a pilot program, growing about 300 perennials and shrubs to sell or give away. The Urbanscapes Native Plant Nursery, New Haven’s only native plant nursery, was born. Since then, the nursery has blossomed and in 2024, in addition to growing 3,000 native plants from plugs and 600 native shrubs, volunteers are growing trees and salt marsh plants to use in a local marsh restoration project.
The nursery is open for sales to anyone interested in native plants. You can visit UrbanScapes Native Plant Nursery on Saturdays 9:30 - 12:30 at 133 Hazel St in New Haven, or go to menunkatuck.org to view plant selections and place online orders for pick-up.
CPEN 4x4 Urban Salad Garden Kits
CPEN has launched a project to male 4x4 Urban Salad Garden Kits available for Newhallville residents, a food insecure neighborhood. With the garden kits, families receive everything they need to learn how to grow their own vegetables and eat healthier foods.
Partner Organizations
Urbanscapes Native Plant Nursery, CPEN, CT Audobon, Neighborhood Housing Services, Highstead, and the New Haven Free Public Library,