Supporting the Butterflyway Movement at the Local Level
Butterflyway Pollinator Garden – Loyalist Township
Role: Dan Hendry
Year: 2020
Images Supplied by: Loyalist Township Website
In my role as Climate Action Coordinator with Loyalist Township, I supported the implementation of a Butterflyway Pollinator Garden as part of the national Butterflyway movement supported by the David Suzuki Foundation. My involvement focused on assisting a community member who wanted to bring the Butterflyway initiative to Loyalist Township and exploring how that idea could be realized on public property.
The community member had already been working independently to establish pollinator gardens on private properties and at local businesses. When they approached the Township, we worked together to install a pollinator garden inside a repurposed canoe in a local park. Locating the garden on public land was intentional, allowing the project to be visible, accessible, and educational while drawing attention to the importance of pollinator habitat within the community.
My role involved coordinating internally with multiple municipal departments to ensure the garden was properly planned and implemented. This work included supporting logistics related to installation and addressing long‑term considerations such as maintenance, watering, and clarifying departmental responsibilities. Ensuring these elements were in place was an important part of supporting the project’s success on public land.
The Butterflyway Pollinator Garden is aligned directly with the Resilient Loyalist Township Climate Action Plan, which includes a specific goal to support pollinators. This alignment was a key factor in moving the project forward, as it clearly supported an existing climate action objective within the Township. All of this work was carried out within my role as Climate Action Coordinator, reinforcing the value of community-led ideas when they are supported by municipal coordination and climate policy alignment.
Related Links & Media: https://www.loyalist.ca/living-in-loyalist/resilient-loyalist-township/climate-action-news/butterflyway-pollinator-garden/