GUELPH POLITICAST #297 - Spread the Word, Err... Pollen

We’re picking up where we left off a couple of weeks ago with our countdown to Giving Tuesday, and we’re going to talk to a community group that’s focused on a very specific aspect of environmental protection. Guelph has its share of so-called "tree huggers", but there’s only one group that’s trying to make this a better place for pollinating insects.

When talking about pollinators, most people think of bees, but some species of beetles, flies, moths and butterflies are also pollinating insects. We need pollen for things to grow, and we need insects to help move the pollen, so you can imagine why it was a pretty big deal when scientists started noticing that there weren’t as many pollinating insects as there used to be. In terms of committing to local action, that’s when Pollination Guelph was born.

Pollination Guelph is an incorporated non-profit that’s dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding about pollinators. Their success is kind of easy to see as they’ve helped establish pollinator gardens at Hospice Wellington, Alectra’s Guelph office, and, most notably, the large pollinator garden in Eastview Park. It’s an impressive feat for an all volunteer group co-ordinating their efforts, but like everyone else, COVID-19 has had an impact on their activities and fundraising.

This week, we're joined by Clare Irwin, the Co-Chair of the Pollination Guelph Board of Directors. Irwin takes us through the science of pollination, and how it relates to bigger environmental issues like the fight against climate change. She will also talk about how to create a more general insect-friendly environment, and why not all plants are pollinators and not all gardens are welcoming to pollinators. And finally, she will answer the question about what gardening  groups do in the winter months.

So let's talk about helping the pollen flow on this week’s Guelph Politicast!

If you're looking for an opportunity to help out with Pollination Guelph, or if you're looking for resources and advice about planting pollinator gardens, and you can find all that at their website. You can also follow Pollination Guelph on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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