This spring, the David Suzuki Foundation recruited more than 200 residents in six cities to become Butterflyway Rangers. These keen volunteers are now leading efforts to grow butterfly-friendly corridors through their neighbourhoods as part of the Butterflyway Project. Their aim is to establish at least a dozen pollinator-friendly patches — neighbourhood Butterflyways — in each city.
By adding habitat to parks, schools, boulevards and yards, the Rangers are helping to support the hundreds of species of wild bee and butterfly that pollinate fruits and flowers in our communities.
In celebration of Pollinator Week, below are 12 highlights from the first couple of months of this year’s Butterflyway Project.
Two local projects are featured:
9. Victoria Butterflyway gardens bloom
Since becoming a Butterflyway Ranger in Victoria last year, Starr Munro has set up an ambitious program at her children’s school. Each class now has a garden bed that they are responsible for taking care of. She is in the process of creating a teacher resource kit with lesson plans and resources for protecting pollinator habitats on school grounds.
11. Fernwood butterflyway takes flight
Ranger Victoria Emberley received funding from the City of Victoria to create a network of pollinator homes and gardens throughout her Fernwood community. She’s combined homemade bee homes with educational pamphlets to support pollinator awareness in the community. This summer she’s hoping to engage more of the community to decorate and build her pollinator gardens!
Want to create a Butterflyway in your neighbourhood?
The simplest way to get started is to make your home yard, garden or balcony a haven for pollinators. Find out how to create your own wild bee sanctuary here.
If you’re interested in getting neighbours, businesses or city agencies together to create your own Butterflyway, check out the Butterflyway Project and read our Butterflyway Starter Guide to find out how to get started. Keep us posted by using the hashtag #Butterflyway on social media. Find out more by emailing us at contact@davidsuzuki.org.