MANITOULIN – A Manitoulin Butterflyway project has been established on Manitoulin Island by a local resident, who is looking for interested individuals to sign up as volunteers to assist.
“I wanted to let you know that I have joined the David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project as a volunteer,” said Melissa Volpini, a Little Current Public School teacher, on the Manitoulin Butterflyway Project Facebook page. “It’s a resident-led movement that is creating habitat for local bees and butterflies in communities throughout Canada.”
Ms. Volpini explained, “in my role as a butterflywayer, I am looking for friends and neighbours from Manitoulin Island that can help fill our communities with native wildflowers that support pollinating insects.”
“Will you join me in creating a butterflyway on Manitoulin Island?” asked Ms. Volpini, explaining those interested can email her at: butterfliesandbeesmanitoulin@gmail.com or post a message on the Facebook page: Manitoulin Butterflyway Project.
“My hope is that together we can start small—adding native plants to gardens and yards of friends and neighbours this spring—but dream big, with hopes of creating a network of pollinator patches in yards, parks and schools throughout Manitoulin Island,” continued Ms. Volpini. “I am receiving training about native plant gardening and pollinators and would be happy to provide more information and guidance. I look forward to hearing back from you!”
Sue Meert, outreach co-ordinator for Manitoulin Streams, received word that she had also been approved to become a butterflyway ranger in mid-February. “I am pretty excited to be accepted as a butterflyway ranger,” she said in an email. “This is such a positive, happy thing to look forward to after a long winter.
Manitoulin Streams will be making more information available as it gears up for the season.
