Brian Minter: Citizen-led Butterflyway Project aims for a pollinator revival
Credit to Author: Aleesha Harris| Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 19:00:41 +0000
With the climatic changes taking place, many of our indigenous animals, birds and pollinators have been struggling for survival, and their numbers are falling.
We’re all aware of the many challenges faced by the beautiful monarch butterflies and their decline. The loss of habitat has also taken a toll, but I’m always inspired when Canadians collectively work together to help reverse situations of habitat loss in order to bring back many of our native animals and pollinators. Butterflies are just such a case.
Winnie Hwo, left, and Butterflyway ranger Lynn at Yale on a butterfly fieldtrip. Pic credit: David Suzuki Foundation.
Thanks to the David Suzuki Foundation’s The Butterflyway Project, a butterfly revival is beginning to take place in the Lower Mainland.
Winnie Hwo, senior public engagement specialist with the foundation, is a part of the movement spearheading butterfly habitat plantings.
The Butterflyway Project started in B.C. in 2017 with two cities: Victoria and Richmond. By 2019, Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver became an integral part of the project. This initiative is part of a larger, citizen-led movement that is taking place across the country.
Riley Park Community Garden at 50 East 30th Ave. Vancouver plants for butterflies and wild bees.
By planting nectar-bearing plants that host butterflies and native bees, the objective is to significantly increase the populations of the 187 species and 77 subspecies of butterflies that inhabit B.C.
Boulevards, greenways, laneways, roundabouts and home, school and community gardens are ideal locations for pollinator gardens. Even a container on a patio helps. The ultimate goal is to create north-south corridors of butterfly “highways” to aid them on their migratory journeys.
Why butterflies? Hwo says the broader focus is really on wild pollinators. Butterflies are great pollinators — some types of butterflies are better pollinators than some bee species. And of course, everyone finds it exciting to see beautiful butterflies, especially in their garden.
Butterflyway traffic roundabout near Trafalgar Street, Vancouver. Pic credit: David Suzuki Foundation.
How does the program work? After pointing out that this is truly a citizen-led project, Hwo said: “We like to train people to become what we call Butterflyway rangers. Over time we hope these rangers will run the programs in each of their communities. Folks have to apply to be a ranger, and we deeply appreciate all those who apply.”
Official recruitment began Feb. 10 and closes Feb. 28. The training day for selected new rangers is March 7 at the University of B.C. Botanical Garden, with a one-hour workshop on what and how to plant for wild pollinator populations like butterflies and bees and an opportunity to learn how to be citizen scientists.
Hwo says the foundation is giving out 10 plants grown by a local native plant grower to each ranger to plant as a collection in order to have the broadest appeal to butterflies and other pollinators. Some of the plants she recommends are native salal, asters, western yarrow, native strawberries, coastal kinnikinnick, nodding onions, Pacific bleeding hearts, goldenrod, camas, ocean spray, and hardhack.
These varieties are key to attracting butterflies in May and, more importantly, during the first two weeks in June when they are most needed by these plants, which provide both nectar and pollen.
I asked her about native milkweed. Hwo said it is great but often hard to find. She encourages rangers to plant showy milkweed, the only local species in B.C. Many other native species work well, too.
Mitchel Elementary Butterflyway rangers in Richmond celebrating the start of the 2019 season. Picture: David Suzuki Foundation
How are the butterflies tracked in these butterflyways?
Hwo explained that it’s a complex issue and their resources are always stretched. She said they set up a BIMBY (Butterflies in my backyard) iNaturalist Project in 2019 to document the butterflies that show up in the province.
The foundation will be adding more science to the citizen science component of the Butterflyway Project in 2020 with help and support from Tara Moreau, associate director for UBC Botanical Garden, and North Shore Butterflyway ranger Stephen Deedes-Vincke.
“We are focusing our resources in three key cities in order to create a critical mass of butterflyways, and we are reaching out to other cities to expand our programs,” explained Hwo.
“In 2020, we hope to have a presence in West Vancouver, Coquitlam, Surrey, Burnaby, and even in Abbotsford. As the backbone of this entire project, our volunteer rangers determine where we go.”
Via Rail Butterflyway planting at Pacific Central Station at 1150 Station Street, Vancouver. Pic credit: David Suzuki Foundation.
Everyone can help this project succeed by planting pesticide-free native butterfly attractors and by encouraging friends, neighbours and local schools to participate. It’s also important for all of us to educate ourselves about our local pollinator populations and the relationships between them and indigenous plants. By doing so, you will make a real difference for critical species.
I would like to thank Winnie Hwo, the 151 current rangers and all the volunteers who are working to recreate habitat and bring back butterflies to our region.
Contact Winnie Hwo at winnie@davidsuzuki.org if you would like more information or are willing to help or donate to this important project.
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