Pollinator Roadsides creates a meadow of native plants on an ordinary roadside
Around the Region shares the work of the Region of Waterloo’s community partners. This month we hear from Pollinator Roadsides, a volunteer-lead project supported by Waterloo Region Nature, that is working to plant natural gardens along roadsides that support bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.
By Jennifer Leat and Tim Taylor, volunteers with Pollinator Roadsides
This spring, volunteers met to plant seeds and plants along a regional road – the culmination of a vision developed 18 months earlier by a working group of seven community volunteers who planned the Pollinator Roadsides project.
The dream was to create habitat for pollinators along Waterloo Region roadsides by planting native plants instead of turf grass. This would re-create acres of important pollinator-friendly habitat across the Region.
Pollinators (butterflies, bees, other insects and birds) have decreased alarmingly in recent decades. One of the main reasons is habitat loss. Re-creating habitat wherever possible is imperative, and our community’s roadsides provide great potential.
The Pollinator Roadsides project is a community-led initiative supported by Waterloo Region Nature. Waterloo Region Nature is a naturalist club that engages in conservation activities and programs for all ages across the Region of Waterloo and is affiliated with Ontario Nature.
Working with Region of Waterloo staff, the Pollinator Roadsides working group chose a pilot location alongside one of the Region’s roads: Fischer-Hallman Road near Glasgow Street in Kitchener.
Bringing this project to life required months of preparation. After much research, Pollinator Roadsides decided on three different methods to prepare the site for planting:
- Covering the turf grass with paper and then with sand and compost.
- Preparation with horticultural vinegar, an environmentally friendly weed killer.
- Seeding and planting directly among the existing vegetation.
During the fall and winter of 2023, volunteers saved seeds and raised plants from seed using a method called winter sowing.
Sponsorship came from Grand River Natural Stone who provided sand, Dirt Cheap who provided compost, Northland Nursery who provided plants at a subsidized price and Nancy’s Seeds and Creation who donated seeds.
The Pollinator Roadsides project also received a Region of Waterloo Community Environmental Grant.
Planting began on a cold Saturday in April, with 25 volunteers turning out to help with site preparation and seed distribution.
Two months later, 22 volunteers braved windy weather to plant plugs, seedlings and larger plants. The group planted 1,500 to 2,000 native perennials that day, turning an ordinary roadside into a meadow of native plants.
Planting with native perennials instead of grass has many benefits. Much less mowing is needed, which saves on gas and labour. Other advantages are greater water retention, reduced flooding, improved air quality, increased biodiversity, drought resistance. And, the flowers are more attractive!
This roadside project also supports the Region of Waterloo’s commitment to protect pollinators – in 2020, the Region became Canada’s first “Bee Region.”
Next, Pollinator Roadsides will compare the three site preparation methods by measuring how many different species grow. This information can help guide roadside habitat restoration in the future.
Future projects may involve trial planting in areas of recent road construction, where the soil is already bare and needs minimal preparation. Ultimately, Pollinator Roadsides’s long-term goal is to change management practices to replace roadside turf with pollinator habitat in Waterloo Region and become a model for other areas in Ontario.
Learn more about Pollinator Roadsides at the Pollinator Roadsides (Waterloo Region) Facebook page.
You can also learn more about the importance of pollinators here: Protect Pollinators in Ontario and the importance of insects and how you can help here Insects: What Are They Good For?