(Montreal) The City of Montreal is distributing 16,500 packets of seeds of native species free of charge in 24 seed libraries in the city’s libraries in order to help the survival of pollinators such as the monarch butterfly.
Pollinators play a vital role in our ecosystems. It’s estimated that nearly one in three bites of everything we eat comes from pollination.
But several pollinators, such as the bee or the monarch butterfly, are seeing their numbers drop worryingly, hence the importance of restoring their habitat by planting native plant seeds.
Plant milkweed to save the monarch
The iconic monarch butterfly was designated an endangered species in 2016 in Canada.
Scientists attribute the decline in monarch numbers to habitat loss, climate change and the use of pesticides and herbicides.
“But I would say that in cities, the biggest threat from pollinators is the loss of green space. When we make parking lots and roads, unfortunately, it is not interesting for any pollinators,” explained agronomist David Wees, who teaches at McGill University.
But citizens can help the Monarch survive by planting milkweed in their gardens; this native plant, one of six species distributed by the City, is the only one where monarchs will lay their eggs.
“This plant helps support the life cycle of the monarch caterpillar, that is to say, once the mother monarch lays her egg, the little caterpillar will only consume milkweed leaves during of his life,” explained biologist Francis Cecil Cardinal, who is part of the education team at the Montreal Biodôme.
Without milkweed, the monarch butterfly simply could not exist.
This plant, which produces umbels of pink flowers, also attracts other types of pollinators, such as bees and hummingbirds.
According to Francis Cecil Cardinal, the City’s initiative “will have an interesting impact if these seeds are planted in suitable places, if they germinate, grow and produce flowers, fruits and seeds.”
He added that “the plants produce hundreds or even thousands of seeds, but the survival rate is very low.”
According to him, abandoned land and wastelands are all designated for milkweeds, however he does not advise planting them in a vegetable garden, because “it is a plant which tends to spread”.
Since April 8, the City of Montreal has distributed 16,500 packets of seeds of six different species in 24 Grainothèques in Montreal libraries or even “through citizen days, open days or plant distribution campaigns in the 19 boroughs », According to a press release from the City.
Bring back native plants
Francis Cecil Cardinal deplores the fact that native plants are not sufficiently valued.
“Ideally, we would like to bring back varieties of native plants to the island of Montreal and each new variety that we are able to bring back to a place where it will establish itself over the long term and be autonomous, I would tell you that it is an added value to our ecosystems. »
In addition to Asclepias incarnata and Asclepias syriaca, which are species of milkweed, the City distributes seeds of Monarda fistulosa, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae and Verbena hastata, all native plants.
“Native plants have evolved with local animals and insects for a long time” and “when we plant them in our garden, there is less risk of them becoming invasive, because they are normally in balance here with their predators and diseases and require less maintenance,” explained biologist Francis Cecil Cardinal.
“They are part of our cultural heritage, because we have been gardening with these plants for a long time, our ancestors learned to cultivate them,” he added.
Pollinator Protection Plan
The initiative of Valérie Plante’s administration stems from the City of Montreal’s Pollinator Protection Plan, announced shortly before COP15 on biodiversity in 2022.
This plan aims in particular to increase the surface area of protected natural environments, carry out ecological inventories of the insect population and reduce the frequency of lawn mowing on City land.
“Mowing the lawn still disrupts the habitat of certain insects. So often, what we will tell people is to simply mow less often,” underlined agronomist David Wees.
In 2020, a census counted at least 435 species of pollinating insects on the island, but according to David Wees, there are probably thousands of different species in Montreal.