Pollination
Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals transfer pollen from one plant to another. When a pollen grain moves from the anther (male part) of a flower to the stigma (female part), pollination happens. This transfer of genetic material is critical to the reproduction of most flowering plants. In Ontario, there are over 350 different wild bee species, plus thousands of butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, and hummingbirds that act as pollinators.
Pollinators are declining
Many pollinator populations are in decline, mainly attributed to a loss in feeding and nesting habitats. Pollution, using chemical pesticides, disease, and climate change are also contributing to this decline.
How does this affect me?
This affects the plants that rely on pollinators, including countless fruits, vegetables, and nuts and half of the world's oils, fibers and raw materials. Pollinators pollinate over 180,000 different plant species and more than 1,200 crops. 1 out of every three bites of food you eat is there because of pollinators.
The 2019 UN global biodiversity assessment estimated that about 1 in 10 insect species face extinction, thus threatening our food supply and our lifestyles. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/
Pollinators support healthy ecosystems that clean the air, stabilize soils, protect from severe weather, and support other wildlife. Plants prevent soil erosion because they retain water, therefore mitigating flooding. And they increase carbon sequestration (the earth retaining C02 emissions), therefore helping with climate change. Trees provide shade - natural cooling to our buildings. And natural spaces are good for our mental health.
You can find more info about pollinators here:
https://www.pollinator.org/pollinators
https://pollinatorpartnership.ca/en/about-pollinators
The City of Greater Sudbury Community Climate Emissions and Energy Plan was developed to help mitigate climate change. Everyone is doing their part to get us to Net Zero by 2050. Help us by building more pollinator gardens at your residence, your place of business, or help out with a group that is building one in public spaces!