The Monarch Butterfly is designated as Endangered under the Federal Species at Risk Act and as a Species of Concern under the Provincial Endangered Species Act.

2) Launch a public communication effort to encourage citizens to plant monarch gardens at their homes

• See below for information on how you can create your own pollinator garden

3) Host/support a native plant sale or milkweed seed giveaway

• At each Concerts in the Park event and Environmental Day held this summer, the Sustainability team has promoted the Pollinator Program and gave out wildflower seed packets.

4) Plant a monarch friendly demonstration garden at City Hall

• The City Hall Community Garden is underway and will feature a pollinator garden. On June 12, volunteers from BMO and the Mapleglen Residences helped build new garden beds and plant fruits, vegetables and flowers. Community members are encouraged to visit the site and see the progress of the garden’s development throughout the summer.

5) Add milkweed and nectar producing plants in community gardens

• The City of Vaughan supports 3 community gardens on City-owned land, with 3 more under construction this summer (including the City Hall garden). All new community gardens will include pollinator-friendly plant species. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer gardener, check out the garden locations and review our Community Garden Policy.

6) Integrate monarch butterfly conversation into the Master Plan or Sustainability Plan or Climate Plan

• The Monarch Pledge supports Green Directions Vaughan, the City’s Community Sustainability and Environmental Master Plan by promoting the protection and enhancement of our natural environment to “develop Vaughan as a City with maximum greenspace and an urban form that supports our expected population growth”. Green Directions Vaughan is currently being revised and will include additional actions that support pollinator-friendly initiatives.

7) Communicate with community garden groups and urge them to plant native milkweeds and nectar-producing plants

• The City will be collaborating with existing community garden groups to help promote the planting of native milkweed and nectar-producing plants. Organizations like Shoresh have been working for a number of years promoting this initiative and the Woodbridge Horticultural Society has planted a pollinator garden at Fred Armstrong Parkette.

8) Convene city park and public works department staff and identify opportunities for revised mowing programs and milkweed/native nectar plant programs

• Parks Development and Forestry & Horticulture, Transportation Services, Parks and Forestry Operations are working to identify priority sites.

9) Adopt pesticide practices that are not harmful to pollinators.

• The City regulates the use of pesticides on public and private property, refer to By-law 88-2008.

What can you do to protect pollinators?

Create a Pollinator garden

 

 

 White Turtlehead                   Wild Columbine

 Seasonal Maintenance:

• Remove large clumps of leaves in your garden. Add this material to a composter if you have one.
• Add a fresh layer of mulch or compost to garden.
• Plant new materials and water during dry periods.
• Cut back dead material to the ground or leave it as is. Do not remove if there are birds’ nests, caterpillars or chrysalis.

• Remove weeds and replenish mulch.
• Monitor the weather and be sure to water the garden during dry periods.
• Monitor and treat garden for pests*.
• Prune or thin any plants which are growing fast to promote good circulation. 

• Divide perennials which have outgrown their space.
• Add 5-8cm of mulch.
• Leave any dead matter or leaf material where possible.
• Remove any plants that did not grow.
• Plant trees or shrubs.

• Prune shrubs and small trees.
• Make plans for spring planting.

• Mulch – controls weeds, improves soil and moisture, protects plant roots
• Hand pull weeds from the root
• Smother large areas of weeds with heavy duty plastic bags or landscape fabric (early fall and left until spring)
• Select plants that are native to your local area and include a variety
• Avoid overcrowding plants
• Examine plant leaves frequently - removing the effected leaves from a plant can stop any insect or disease damage.
• Remember that certain ‘weeds’ are beneficial to pollinators, such as the common milkweed or golden rod.

Create a butterfly garden

• Choose a sunny, sheltered location. Cold-blooded butterflies need warm temperatures to fly and feed. Place a flat rock in a sunny area as a basking spot for butterflies to warm themselves on.
• Include host plants for larval (caterpillar) and bright, fragrant flowers for adult butterflies. Make sure you are planting native species.
• Create “mud puddles” (an area of exposed soil) in the garden. Butterflies use these as a source of water and nutrients.
• Avoid chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Butterflies and caterpillars are very sensitive to these products.

Create a bee garden

If you are interested in creating specific habitat for bees, follow these general guidelines:

• Leave dead stems on plants and holes in trees for solitary bees to nest in or hide during storms.
• Remove invasive plants by hand, but keep in mind that Dandelions and clover are sources of nutrition for bees
• Leave a patch of bare, sunny ground so bees can dig into the soil. Mud puddles provide a source of hydration and habitat building material for solitary bees
• Avoid chemical pesticides and fertilizers
• Plant a mix of native species of different heights, colours and shapes. Bees are generally attracted to white, yellow, blue and purple flowers.