The City of Kawartha Lakes has joined the ranks of Bee Cities in Canada.
Protecting the environment is a commitment the City Council has made and to that end, they are encouraging residents to support bees, butterflies and other pollinators which is the mission of Bee City Canada.
“We are thrilled to be named the next Bee City in Canada,” said Susan Blayney of Environmental Advisory Committee.
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Such insects are vital in the pollination of crops and thus vital to food production.
The loss of habitat is a major factor in the decline in the population of bees and butterflies and the City of Kawartha Lakes wants to preserve large areas of open land available for the plants that pollinators need.
“The Bee City Initiative involves planting pollinator-friendly plants on private property, public spaces, and small-scale farms.” said Cheri Davidson, manager of communications for City of Kawartha Lakes.
Kawartha Lakes Waste Management and Fleming College are currently seeding a 1.5-acre decommissioned area of the Fenelon Falls landfill site with a pollinator-friendly seed mixture instead of the normal application of grass seed.
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The students have also designed a way of monitoring the effectiveness of the planting in attracting bees and butterflies which can be applied to other plantings.
The Bee City Canada website reads a diverse and resilient pollinator population is a key component of a sustainable city.
Kawartha Lakes is the 7th Bee City in Canada.