POLLINATORS are the insects that pollinate flowers.
You know about bees and butterflies, but did you know that there are over 1000 species of pollinating insects in Canada? Together they are an indispensable natural resource, and their daily work is essential for over a billion dollars of apples, pears, cucumbers, melons, berries, and many other kinds of Canadian farm produce. These beneficial insects are under pressure from loss of habitat, loss of food sources, disease, and pesticides. As insect populations are threatened, so are the fruit and vegetable produce, and the wild ecosystems that depend on these pollinators.
BEE FRIENDLY FARMING (BFF) in NORTH AMERICA
The use of this logo indicates that your agricultural practices encourage and improve pollinator health. To self-certify and find out more, click here Partners for Sustainable Pollination.
R E S O U R C E S
Many of the “POLLINATOR TOOLKIT FOR BEE-BENEFICIAL PLANTINGS” resources provided at http://www.pfspbees.org/developments.htm are useful for Bee Friendly Farmers in Canada.
Pollinator Conservation Resource Center
Most of Canada is included within the Pollinator Conservation Resource Centre (Xerces Society) regions. As long as you don't live in the Yukon, Northwest or Nunavut Territories, you can click on the region that you live in. This links you to a page which further expands upon the following categories:
Regional Plant Lists
National Plant Lists
Conservation Guides
Pesticide Guides
Native Bee Nest Management Guides
Native Pollinator Plant Nurseries
Bee Identification and Monitoring Resources
These regional lists and guides are specific to the United States which they include, but much overlap will exist with the Canadian provinces. There is quite a bit of valuable and general information to be gleaned off these links. As a Canadian applicant, you will find information here about plants that attract pollinators, and you can then use the Evergreen Plant Database to further determine if that plant grows in your region, as well as other information.
A number of additional resources for Canadian BFF applicants are provided below.
Plants That Attract Pollinators
Evergreen Ecozones -- in combination with -- Evergreen Native Plant Database
If you really want to be more specific in matching plants in the ecozone that you live in, the Evergreen Native Plant Database is the place for you! First determine your ecozone on this map. Then choose the "Advanced Search" option in the Native Plant Database. You may then indicate your ecozone and scroll further down, under the Miscellaneous heading, where you can check off "Attracts Wildlife" and choose which wildlife to specify.
Guelph's Pollination Park plant list
Canadian Wildlife Federation pollinator plant list
Trees, Shrubs and Plants for Pollinators
More Specific Mapping Tools for Regions in Canada
Natural Resources Canada: topographic maps, agriculture maps, snow cover, geology, etc.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: plant hardiness zones of Canada
Natural Resources Canada: land cover in Canada
Natural Resources Canada: Ecozones map
Guides to Becoming Pollinator-Friendly
Pollination Canada: Native Bees for Farmers
Xerces Society: Farming with Pollinators
Pollination Canada
Canadian Wildlife Federation: Plant for Pollinators
North American Native Plant Society -- also have a plant database -- click "Plant Catalogue"
Canadian Geographic article Plight of the Bumblebee
Canadian Museum of Nature, link to Peter Kevan video
Pollinator Conservation Digital Library
The Pollinator Conservation Digital Library also lists plants and their pollinators. However, you generally need to know the Latin name of the flora you are searching; or you need to know the Latin name of a particular bee to find a list of plants that they like
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