OPEN LETTER TO ALL TOWNSHIPS RE ROAD SIDE MAINTAINANCE

 

 

 OPEN LETTER TO ALL TOWNSHIPS RE ROAD SIDE MAINTAINANCE  

 For the last 6 months I have been working on a children’s picture book entitled “The Magic of Pollinators”.

  After much research from resources all around the world, I became extremely concerned about the alarming decline of our precious pollinator’s right here in Simcoe and all around the world.

 Our future existence here on Earth depends on pollinators like the furry bumble bee, native bees, honey bees, wasps, beetles, and butterflies.   

 

 Over 450, 000 species of plants depend entirely on pollinators.

On Earth Day, 2019 the UN provided us with an alarming report - our bumblebee population has declined an astounding 89 per cent!

Here in Canada, we have over 850 native bee species and an increasing number of those are at the risk of extinction.

Along with other pollinators, bumblebees help pollinate over 100 food crops, including fruits, veggies, and nuts.

 As a matter of fact pollinators, like bumble bees and others are responsible for every third mouthful of food that we eat!

 And if you eat a lot of meat, you still need pollinators

as alfalfa, which is recognized as one of the most nutritious forages for cattle, is pollinated mainly by leaf cutting bees.

 

  In addition to the food we eat, pollinators also support healthy ecosystems that improve air quality, stabilize

s oils, and supports other wildlife.

 It is of utmost importance that we therefore protect, maintain, and enhance as much biological diversity as possible for very own survival here on Earth.

 

One way we can help protect our precious pollinators is to ensure that they have as many opportunities to gather nectar from as many biologically diverse green spaces as possible.

 It turns out one of the best food sources for pollinators are native plants. They are extremely adaptive and have evolved over thousands of years to maximize the conditions found in specific microclimates in our community.  Most are very water efficient and are able to thrive in poor soil conditions, as well as, being pest and disease resistant.

  Unfortunately, many domesticated plants grown in our backyard gardens and community gardens have been bred for beauty and have lost much of their capacity to produce nectar and pollen

Here in Ontario we have over 270, 000 km of road with roadsides dominated by a riot of naturalized flora that are an incredible resource for our precious pollinators.

 Research has demonstrated that pollinating insects such and butterflies, moths, beetles, wasps, ants, and bees visit roadside flowers frequently.

It is estimated that pollinators provide upwards of $217 billion to the world economy.

Honey bees and bumble bees in Ontario alone are responsible for $897 million of the roughly $6.7 billion in sales for agricultural crops grown in the province each year.

This is equivalent to about 13% of the province’s total annual crop value.

It is my understanding that your are familiar with Forward 2 Guide  which describes in great detail everything required to implement “best practices” when restoring, maintaining, and enhancing roadside corridors in Ontario to help boost the population of our precious pollinators.

Another way townships and cities can connect people, places, and pollinator is  to apply and to receive the designation of “Pollinator City”.  

 Barrie recently received this designation and one of its initiatives called Pollinator Patches is mentioned in the guide.

Here are some of their initiatives undertaken before Covid brought many of them to a halt.

 

• Reduced mowing cycles
• Added to naturalized open spaces by reducing mowing areas
• Expanding the community gardens
• Replace planting areas with native species that support pollinators
• Supported native tree planting in various locations
• Virtual Pollinator Week Photo contest in which the winner won a butterfly house
• Volunteer- led Phragmites australis (worst invasive species in Canada)  removals
• Shoreline restoration
• Identified potential areas that could be removed from cutting list or converted into pollinator patches
• Created an in-house native flower-enhanced seed mix

 

 

I  urge the  ALL townships to make a concerted and earnest effort to implement all the best practices outlined in Forward 2 and seriously consider becoming a Bee City.