Sarah Bergmann

Sarah Bergmann is the founder of the Pollinator Pathway, a participatory ecology and design initiative that rethinks the relationship between urban, agricultural and wilderness landscapes. The Pollinator Pathway connects existing isolated green spaces to foster greater biodiversity, and in urban areas works by piggybacking on existing infrastructure (curb space, rooftops, etc). Nestled in the heart of Seattle, Washington, the original Pollinator Pathway connects Seattle University’s campus to a small woods with a mile long corridor of native plant focused, pollinator friendly gardens inhabiting the planting strips in front of homes. The project is approximately one third completed, and a second Pollinator Pathway, in partnership with Capitol Hill Housing, is slated for Seattle’s 11th Avenue, connecting Seattle University’s campus to Volunteer Park.

The Pollinator Pathway crosses art, ecology, urban planning and design, and is a public extension of Bergmann’s interdisciplinary work and ideas in museums, institutions, and talks as well as a large scale book that accompanies the project. Sarah is the winner of the Seattle Art Museum’s Betty Bowen Award and the Stranger Genius Award, and artifacts from her work have been exhibited at the Olympic Sculpture Park, the Frye and the Seattle Art Museum. Bergmann lectures frequently to architecture, art, and landscape design audiences, including at the University of Washington’s Henry Art Gallery, the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle University and Cornish College. The Pollinator Pathway has been integrated into courses at Seattle University, Cornish College and The University of Washington. Bergmann’s work has been supported by The Awesome Foundation, The Northwest Horticulture Society, and The City of Seattle, and praised by NPR, Popular Science, KEXP, Grist, Edible, KUOW, Yes, The Seattle Times, Arcade and GOOD.