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MidlandToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is addressed to Midland council regarding pollinator gardens.
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Dear Editor,
In Midland Today on June 22nd, Midland was recognized as one of 63 Bee Cities in Canada.
Mayor Stewart Strathearn said, “the town is proud to celebrate our second annual Pollinator Week as an official Bee City. Last year, we established no-mow zones throughout the town for suitable pollinator habitats to be created, and the community has positively embraced this initiative.”
Tiny Township held free workshops to “help residents learn how to create a pollinator habitat.”
In the Toronto Star June 26th, Colleen Cerillo, (Rewilding Community Campaigner at the David Suzuki Foundation) equated a lawn historically with, “being rich enough to hold land." She continues, "however this being 2022….we are experiencing biodiversity and climate crises. Wild species around the world, including pollinators, are declining at a frightening pace.” She continues, “replacing turf grass with gardens…is an excellent way to act on climate change and biodiversity loss.”
Our attempt to replace a turf lawn in the town of Midland on private property adjacent to Little Lake Park was met with resistance and complaints from neighbours and threats of a fine from the town of Midland’s bylaw officer.
In adhering to the bylaw, a natural habitat for native plants, birds and wildlife was destroyed.
Perhaps it’s time for the town to review its bylaws and allow residents to have pollinator gardens on private property as well as on municipal property.
Bryde Desroches
Midland
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