A place for pollinators

By Kate Harries

They may be a lowly pest for some, but insects are in fact a vital link in the web of life. Hundreds of species of bees, wasps, moths, beetles, butterflies and flies have suffered population declines as a result of habitat loss and the widespread use of pesticides, fertilizers and other types of chemicals. Yet these humble creatures play an essential role in our ecosystems. It is estimated that one-third of the food we eat comes from crops that require the pollination services of insects.

And now, on top of a closed-off landfill site located on the northeastern side of Guelph, the “pests” may get their very own space – a park designed to nurture insects and celebrate their fascinating lives. The pollinator park – which would be the first of its kind in the world – will give people a new way of looking at nature, says Peter Kevan of the University of Guelph environmental biology department. Who knew, for instance, about male squash bees’ bachelor parties? The males move out of their underground nests in summer and spend the morning chasing the females, who are busy stripping pollen. By afternoon, the females are back in the nest. The males congregate in flowers, where they stay until they scramble out the next morning for a repeat performance.

While the extent of population declines of native species has not been quantified, the impact can certainly be measured. A $1 million drop in annual blueberry production in New Brunswick was linked to forestry pesticide spraying, and a dramatic reduction occurred in prairie alfalfa productivity when leaf-cutter bee habitat was eliminated, Kevan says.

“We can name four species of bumblebees that have gone through extremely rapid decline within the memory of our generation,” he adds. “Two of them were the most common spring bumblebees you could find in our area and now they’re just about gone.”

What does a pollinator park look like? In this case the site’s dry, windswept conditions mandate a meadow, which, fortuitously, is one of southern Ontario’s most threatened ecosystems. It will contain forbs and grasses, asters and daisies, and provisions will be made for endlessly varied habitat requirements – from dead wood to sandy soil to rocky piles. Should the project get final approval, the City of Guelph will oversee the work, and a stewardship committee will raise the funds, says Councillor Vicki Beard.

Environmental scientist Vernon Thomas hopes the new venture will provide an impetus for updating antiquated Ontario legislation that bans “noxious” plants such as milkweed, which is essential to the monarch butterfly. The pollinator park will also be a template for others involved in restoring former landfill sites and brownfields – “a chance to make an ugly duckling become a nice swan.”