Pollinator garden initiative creating a buzz in Cambridge

Those looking to help local pollinators can join a growing movement by a local urban land trust group by creating and registering a pollinator garden.

The rare Charitable Research Reserve started the 1,000 Gardens Project last year as a way to build a pollinator map along the Toronto to Waterloo Region corridor. Over a year later, the 1,000 Gardens Project has more than 630 gardens registered, including 71 pollinator gardens in Cambridge.

Online, residents can see a map of all the registered pollinator gardens here.

James Bow, the communications specialist for rare Charitable Research Reserve, said the organization is pleased about the response so far to the project, and it hopes to build on that momentum in 2022.

“Everyone in Waterloo Region has been very supportive,” said Bow, calling this area "pretty much covered" on their interactive map. 

The way the project works is residents can register their gardens online at rare's website.

"It's about anybody with a garden who wants to start planting native species that are beneficial to local pollinators, it's about as easy as that," Bow said about how to create a pollinator gardens. "It's about understanding what's in your garden and adjusting it to what the local environment is."

Some examples of pollinator-friendly plants are asters, bee balm, black-eyed Susan, coneflowers, goldenrods and sunflowers. Bow adds besides adding these plants to your garden, residents can  add other items that make life easier for our pollinators, such as water sources, feeders, bee boxes, even piles of sticks and branches that can give pollinators some cover and shelter. 

With the goal to identify pollinator gardens leading up to Toronto, the 1,000 Gardens Project shows gardens registered in other cities, including Mississauga and Guelph.

“We’ve had some great response from Guelph, and we're hoping to expand the region's programs as we move into 2022,” said Bow, noting 41 gardens registered in that area.

"The whole area is urbanizing rapidly, and definitely needs more of these havens for local pollinators. I think it's an important thing to do for the next decade and so these natural spaces don't go away."

When it comes to pollinator gardens, Bow lists a number of benefits for local pollinators and people, including these areas being able to handle storm water better, reducing pollution and helping preserve local species from invasive species.

“Ultimately, I think that a healthy, local environment means a healthier community and means that we are healthier as a result," he said.

"I think we're very lucky in Waterloo Region to have the natural spaces that we have," Bow continues, "There's lots of areas left ot be natural and left for the local species and I think it's better for my mental health to be in this type of nature."

No matter the size of the garden, Bow adds providing naturalized spaces for local pollinators is also a way for people to help the environment and climate change.

"When it comes to the environment and climate change, it can feel so overwhelming to see the scope of the problems that we're facing, but this is something that you can do in your own backyard and you will see the benefits of," said Bow. "You'll see how lush your gardens will be, you'll see the pollinator insects and birds come to visit, it's a very affirming thing."

Bob Wildfong is a horticultural interpreter at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum and supporter of the 1,000 Gardens Project. He said pollination conservation is one environmental issue shared by many sectors, from agriculture to ecology.

“It’s a local issue, much more so than other environmental issues are, it doesn't get more local than your own backyard and the actions that you take make a difference,” said Wildfong, “We depend on those local community programs to draw people in the right direction and see what they can do on their own property.”

When it comes to the pandemic, Wildfong said there has been an uptick in new gardeners across the region within the past two years, and many are taking an interest in the 1,000 Gardens Project is great.

“People are stuck at home, looking for something to do, not being able to travel too much, we actually have a lot more new gardeners now everywhere, but definitely in Southern Ontario, than we did two years ago," he said.

In 2022, rare plans to resume the project again in the spring, starting with a plant market being planned for Mother’s Day. Bow mentions they will also be selling pollinator garden signs for $20, which all proceeds go to supporting pollinator projects and other rare initiatives.