Posted by: Stephanie McNeely, Enviro Crew of OOS
One of the members of the Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South recently joined the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Program as a volunteer “ranger.” In its second year of operation, the program will have 300 such rangers across Canada.
The objective is to establish a “butterfly highway” or corridor in each ranger’s local neighbourhood, through a citizen-led approach. The rangers hope to enlist helpers to come up with a plan of plants and places that can be ready to implement by fall. Ideally, volunteers can identify a dozen sites in close enough proximity to each other and with public access so that we can all view, visit, and learn.
The ranger training included many inspiring ideas, such as converting old canoes into native planting beds and incorporating street or mural art into public spaces. Many resources are available to help establish native plants that are attractive to pollinators, such as bees and butterflies.
In the first webinar, our ranger found out there are at least three other rangers in different parts of Ottawa, who we hope work with to exchange ideas and encouragement.
Because every neighbourhood is unique, the plan for Old Ottawa South will be different from what others have done. Our ranger is keen to enlist participants near Brewer and Osborne parks to build off these large spaces and see what we can come up with in this challenging time of COVID-19 and physical distancing.
It would be great to hear from experienced gardeners, who already have pollinator-friendly gardens. Please post a message to our Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South Facebook group if you are interested in volunteering.
For more information about the Butterflyway Project, see “David Suzuki Foundation’s innovative Butterflyway Project gains momentum.”
Stephanie McNeely is a member of the Enviro Crew of OOS. She has also volunteered at Hopewell and is interested in recycling, composting, and achieving zero waste.