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Home > City Hall > Environmental Sustainability > Pollinator Projects
POLLINATOR PROJECTS
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What are the Five B's?

The Five B's are pollinators - birds, butterflies, bees, beetles and bats!   Most of us think of butterflies and bees when it comes to pollination, but we can’t ignore other insects, birds and mammals that play an important role in pollination.
   
What is pollination and why is it important?

Pollination occurs when wind or pollinators (our Five B’s and many more) move pollen from one flower to another. When pollination is successful, it allows plants to reproduce which supports ecosystems and the organisms that depend on the plants for food and shelter. Communities also depend on pollination to grow crops. Pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat! The problem is, wild pollinators are under stress and in many cases their populations are on a decline. Disease, pests, climate change, pesticides and reduced habitats have resulted in the decline of our Five B’s and other pollinators.

Among other initiatives, planting pollinator gardens with host plants that support pollinators will begin to regrow habitat and support population growth of these species in the City of Vaughan. Scroll down to find more information on how you can create a pollinator garden at home.

 

Use these fun activities to help teach your kids about pollination and why it is important:

 
  • Pollinator Scavenger Hunt - discover the great outdoors and learn about pollination. You may not be able to find many flowers or pollinators in early spring, but you can do the scavenger hunt again in the summer and compare results!
  • Pollination Crossword Puzzle - visit Pollinator Partnership Canada for more information about Pollinator Week in June!
  • Whose Home? Interactive game for species at risk - visit TRCA Monarch Nation to download
  • Did You Know? Fact Sheet - learn some fun facts about the Monarch Butterfly!
  • Butterfly Origami
  • Make your own Butterfly Wings
  • Make your own Pasta Plant Marker
 
What is the City doing to protect pollinators?
 
 
On March 20th, 2018 Council approved the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge championed by Regional Councillor Sunder Singh, which was a big win for our butterflies, birds and bees.  The Mayors’ Monarch Pledge brings us closer to becoming a Pollinator Friendly Vaughan!    
 
Every municipality taking the pledge must commit to implement at least 3 out of 25 suggested action items within one year of taking the Pledge – Vaughan has committed to 9!
 
1) Issue a Proclamation to raise awareness about the decline of the monarch butterfly and the species need for habitat                
  • Honorable Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua has proclaimed City Pollinator Week in June and Flight of the Monarchs Day in August. 
  • Pollinator Week is an international celebration that promotes bees, butterflies, flies, bats and beetles that sustain our environment through pollination. It was initiated by Pollinator Partnership Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting pollinators and their ecosystems.
  • Through Monarch Nation, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is leading the Flight of the Monarchs Day, a national campaign that will provide an opportunity to increase community awareness related to species at risk, while engaging communities in the work of habitat restoration.
 
2) Launch a public communication effort to encourage citizens to plant monarch gardens at their homes      
  • On September 21, 2019 the City hosted a Greenbelt Urban River Valley event at a local park, with funding from Park People and the Greenbelt Foundation. Community groups and NGOs taught the public about local food and pollinator programs. A pollinator garden was also planted in the park with citizens who attended.
  • Keep reading for information on how to create your own pollinator garden!
 
3) Host/support a native plant sale or milkweed seed giveaway      
  • The City purchased 1000 custom pollinator seed packets to give away at community events in 2019 - the Environmental Sustainability department attended 34 events and gave out the seed packets
 
4) Plant a monarch friendly demonstration garden at City Hall      
  • Environmental Sustainability and Horticulture teams partnered with local businesses to plant two pollinator- friendly demonstration gardens - one at the City Hall Demonstration Garden and one at Vellore Heritage Square, a future location for a community garden and contains connections to a forested trail, neighbourhood and major road.
 
5) Add milkweed and nectar producing plants in community gardens      
  • The City of Vaughan supports 4 community gardens on City-owned land, with 2 more on the way. The City planted a pollinator garden at City Hall in the same location as the community garden, and one at Vellore Heritage Square which is a site for a future community 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 Plan by promoting the protection and enhancement of our natural environment. Actions 2.1.2 and 4.3.3 in Green Directions Vaughan, relating to local food and programming, include planting and expanding pollinator/monarch habitat.
 
7) Communicate with community garden groups and urge them to plant native milkweeds and nectar-producing plants      
  • The City is encouraging community garden groups that operate gardens on city-owned land to plant nectar-producing plants near the gardens.
  • The City has collaborated with existing community groups to help promote the planting of native milkweed and nectar-producing plants, including the Woodbridge Horticultural Society, Neighbours Sharing Native and Pollinator Plants and Shoresh.

In September 2019, the City partnered with Neighbours Sharing Native and Pollinator Plants and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to plant two new pollinator gardens in Woodbridge. This project was part of the Greenbelt Urban River Valley Connector Program. The gardens are located in Veteran's Park off Woodbridge Avenue and Doctors McLean District Park.

  • Plant list and pictures of Veteran's Park Garden
  • Plant list and pictures of Doctors McLean District Park

 

 
8) Convene city park and public works department staff and identify opportunities for revised mowing programs and milkweed/native nectar plant programs      
  • The City's Parks departments has adopted revised mowing programs, leaving sections of land in parks as Grow Zones. Two such zones were planted and left to grow in 2019.

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

 General guidelines:
  • Find a location that contains all the essential elements: sun, water and soil.
  • Choose a variety of native plant species with a range of shape, size and flower season. Native plants are best adapted to our local area.
  • Leave areas of bare ground, wild grasses, dead wood and leaf litter for bees and insects. Adult pollinators tend to thrive on flower nectar however larva enjoy plant leaves.
 
We know that finding the right plants can be confusing, below are examples of native plants that attract pollinators. This is not a full list. More species with detailed information can be found in the Pollinator Partnership’s Guide.
 
 
​Common Name ​Height r ​Flower Season ​Sun ​Soil ​Other
​Red-Osier Dogwood ​1m-  3m ​ White   ​June-August ​Sun to partial shade ​Moist ​Perennial, shur
b
​Swamp Milkweed ​0.5m -1.5m

​Purple
pink

​June-August ​Full sun ​Moist to wet ​Perennial, flowering
​Butterfly Milkweed ​less than 1m ​Yellow
orange
​June- September ​Sun to partial shade ​Dry, well drained ​Perennial, flowering
​White Turtlehead ​Up to 1m ​White,
 cream, pink
​July- September ​Sun to shade ​Moist to wet ​Perennial, flowering
​Spotted Joe Pye Weed ​0.5m - 2m ​Purple
pink
​July-September ​Sun to partial shade ​Moist to wet, well drained ​Perennial, flowering
​Wild Bergamot ​1m ​Lavender
pink, violet
​July-September ​Sun to partial shade ​Moist ​Perennial, flowering
​Black-eyed Susan ​0.5m - 1.5m ​Blue, purple ​June- September ​Full sun to partial sun ​Moist to dry ​Annual (short lived perennial)
​Smooth Blue Aster ​0.5m - 1.5m ​Blue, purple ​August - November ​Full sun ​Dry ​Perennial, flowering
​New England Aster ​Up to 1m ​Purple September- October ​Sun to partial shade ​Moist, well drained ​Perennial, flowering
 
 
The Canadian Wildlife Federation has a native plant encyclopedia with more information on native plant species.  
 
 
   Black-eyed Susan              Butterfly Milkweed                    Joe Pye Weed

 
                     Red Osier Dogwood                Smooth Blue Aster                      Swamp Milkweed
 
 
 White Turtlehead                   Wild Columbine 
 
*Images courtesy of the City of Guelph
 

 Seasonal Maintenance:

 Spring:
  • 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.
 Summer:
  • 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 
 Fall
  • 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. 
Winter
  • Prune shrubs and small trees.
  • Make plans for spring planting.
*Follow these tips for natural pest and weed control:
  • 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
 
If you are a true butterfly fan, you can choose to create a garden specifically designed for our butterfly friends.
 
General guidelines:
  • 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.  
All the plant species listed above attract butterflies, but for a longer list and more details about butterflies check out the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s Butterfly Gardens pamphlet.
 

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.
Did you know that bees love trees? Trees and shrubs flower and can produce hundreds of pollen filled flowers on just one plant and provide habitat for solitary bees and nesting areas for bumble bees. Trees that flower in the early spring give bees an early boost of pollen and nectar before perennials start to flower. To find out which trees bees love best, check out LEAF's  bee factsheet.
 
Ontario Pollinator Health Action Plan  
 
 For more information on how Ontario is planning to address the stressors that are impacting pollinators, read the Ontario Pollinator Health Action Plan.
 
 

 Summary Links

 
 

 Contact Information

 

​Policy Planning and Environmental Sustainability

Phone: 905-832-2281

Email: environment@vaughan.ca

Location:
Vaughan City Hall, Level 200
2141 Major Mackenzie Drive
Vaughan, ON, L6A 1T1

 

 Additional Resources

 
  • Pollinator Week Toolkit
  • Create a Bee Garden
    8 ways to create a bee garden
  • Buzz on Bees
  • Create a Butterfly Garden
    Learn about butterflies and the plants they like.
  • Pollination Crossword Puzzle
    Kids Activity
  • Pollination Scavenger Hunt
    Have fun and learn about pollination
 

 Related Links

 
  • Pollinator Partnership
  • Mayors' Monarch Pledge
  • Canadian Wildlife Federation
  • TRCA Monarch Nation
  • National Wildlife Federation
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