MISSION & GOALS
OUR MISSION is to do whatever we can to provide sanctuary and support to our pollinator species throughout our community.
THE ISSUE is that our native wild bees along with honey bees are disappearing in mass numbers.
OUR GOALS are to provide sanctuary by:
- making habitat-supportive choices in our gardening practices and plant selection, advocating, encouraging and helping others to develop supportive habitat pollinators
- exploring new commercial opportunities for local businesses arising from our initiative, and ultimately branding our municipality as a champion for biodiversity and habitat development and protection.
- creating a habitat at Lakeview Cemetery, a Bee & Butterfly garden at Meaford Community Gardens, a flourishing garden at the Meaford Museum
- creating a special ‘Meaford Mix’ seed blend for this initiative and there are currently seeds available to distribute and for fundraising
What Can you do?
- Use native plants in your garden. These provide high-quality nutrients for pollinator species. Select a variety of plants that bloom at different times.
- Seed larger areas with our specially developed meadow seed mix.
- Reduce or eliminate lawn areas, which are dependent on polluting nutrients, pesticides and machinery to maintain. Lawns are non-native grasses that contribute nothing to sustain pollinator species.
- Eliminate the use of pesticides. Studies now show that even if pesticides do not kill pollinators on contact, they interfere with the insects’ ability to navigate and gather food.
- Develop good cultural practices that will do far more than any chemicals can to make your garden healthy and beautiful. (Examples: select native plants, encourage biodiversity, plant the right plant in the right place, prune correctly, remove and dispose of diseased plant parts, etc.)