Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are essential for plant and crop populations. Receive a package of native milkweed seeds to plant at home and support pollinator populations. Fill out the form now and take action to protect these important species.
Pollinators are crucial for sustaining plant and tree populations, as well as ensuring healthy crop production. Honeybees are well-known pollinators, many species perform pollination, including MANY SPECIES OF BEES, WASPS, BEETLES, FLIES, BUTTERFLIES, MOTHS AND EVEN HUMMINGBIRDS. Many pollinator populations are declining due to habitat loss and pesticide use, which could have serious consequences for biodiversity and food security. It’s important to take steps to protect and promote pollinator populations, like creating habitat and reducing pesticide use.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is working to create and maintain healthy pollinator populations on Pelee Island by conserving natural habitats, planting native species to create meadows, and removing invasive species. Protecting natural habitats helps pollinators by providing places for them to live, reproduce and overwinter. Many species spend the winter in leaf litter, inside old stems and under tree bark and logs, so natural, unmowed spaces are critical.
NCC has restored almost 100 hectares of agricultural fields to natural habitat on Pelee Island, planting these areas with 30-50 species of native wildflowers, grasses, shrubs and trees. Plants flower at different times of the year, so planting many species helps ensure that something is always flowering, providing food for pollinators throughout the year. While pollinators do get food from crops when they are flowering, one or a few species will not provide food throughout the life cycle of the pollinators. So having a diversity of plant species nearby is critical!
Click the link below to learn more about the work the Nature Conservancy of Canada is doing on Pelee Island.