14. Summer is around
the corner. Make it count! Join the Pollination Canada Buzz, Valérie
Girard, Seeds of Diversity Canada
Seventy
percent of our food crops need insects for pollination. Most wild
plants, and small animals that eat seeds, could not survive without
them. Not only bees and butterflies; there are over 1000 species
of pollinating insects in Canada! Unfortunately, these beneficial
insects are under pressure from loss of habitat, loss of food sources,
disease, pesticides, and there is a growing concern about what impact
climate change will have on insect pollinators. As insect populations
are threatened, so are fruit and vegetable production, as well as
the wild ecosystems that depend on these pollinators. Information
is needed now, so that steps can be taken to preserve pollinator
populations.
To address an alarming lack of appreciation and knowledge about
native bee species and other pollinators, Seeds of Diversity Canada
and Environment Canada’s Ecological Monitoring and Assessment
Network Coordinating Office (EMANCO) have embarked on a joint venture
to create a new citizen science program that engages the Canadian
public to participate in Canada’s largest survey of insect
pollinators.
The Pollination Canada Program
People want to get involved in conserving insect pollinators and
their habitat, but often don’t know how. Pollination Canada
provides tools for Canadians to make a difference.
The heart of the program is actual monitoring of insect populations
and diversity. By observing pollinators in gardens, local parks,
along country roads (basically anywhere flowers are growing), and
then sending in these observations, Pollination Canada participants
help scientists to better understand the crucial relationships between
pollinators, ecosystems, plant diversity, and human activity.
The Pollinator Observer’s Manual and other training material
are offered free of charge on the Pollination Canada website, www.pollinationcanada.ca.
A Strong Network
Pollination Canada is a network of educational, agricultural, and
environmental institutions across Canada who leads the way in pollinator
education and conservation.
The goal for this year is to join efforts with at least 50 partners
from across Canada who will offer Pollination Canada educational
materials to their staff, volunteers, members, and visitors, and
also integrate the Pollination Canada program in their programs
when possible.
Pollination Canada Partners already include a number of renowned
organisations such as: Green Teacher, Evergreen, Everdale, the Ottawa
River Institute, the Ontario Beekeepers Association, RARE, Science
North, Wings of Paradise, the Xerces Society, and many more.
Become a Pollination Canada Partner
By taking the pollination protection challenge and becoming a Pollination
Canada Partner, your organization can also lead the way in pollinator
education and conservation.
Pollination Canada Partners receive free program and training materials,
free educational materials, a subscription to the Pollination Canada
e-newsletter, are listed on the Pollination Canada website as a
Pollination Canada Partner, and much more.
Interested? Contact the Pollination Canada staff (see contact information
below).
Create a Buzz for International Pollinator Week
Pollination Canada encourages individuals, businesses and organizations
to plan an event or workshop for International Pollinator Week,
June 24-30.
An International Pollination Week Flyer has been made available
for all to use as a template to advertise events or workshops (see
www.pollinationcanada.ca).
Pollination Canada engages itself to advertise events in the Pollination
Canada e-Newsletter, on the Pollination Canada website, and include
it in the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign list of
International Pollinator Week events (www.pollinator.org/pollinator_week.htm).
Many events have already been scheduled across Canada – it’s
time to plan yours!
Contact
Pollination Canada
c/o Seeds of Diversity
P.O. Box 36, Station Q
Toronto, ON M4T 2L7
P: 1-866-509-7333
E: info@pollinationcanada.ca
W: www.pollinationcanada.ca
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Yann Vergriete
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Institut de recherche en biologie végétale
The Montréal Botanical Garden
4101, rue Sherbrooke Est
Montréal (Québec) H1X 2B2
CANADA
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