Richmond celebrates Canadian Bee City designation and launches 2022 Nectar Trail
19 May 2022
The City of Richmond is proud to announce that it has been designated a Canadian Bee City by Pollinator Partnership Canada, in recognition of its ongoing efforts to support and protect local pollinators through habitat enhancement, environmental stewardship, and public education.
“Scientists tell us that pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat,” says Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “Pollinators and their habitat are crucial aspects of our local ecosystem, and support a thriving local agricultural sector; enhancement of their habitat helps to keep biodiversity resilient in the face of climate change.”
In addition to the designation, and to celebrate Friday, May 20, 2022 as World Bee Day, the City is encouraging residents and businesses to participate in the Richmond Nectar Trail program, a community-based mapping effort of pollinator friendly plantings throughout the city. Pollinators need to touch down at least every ten metres, so the trail will enable them to easily travel throughout Richmond, including the City’s rich farming areas. Building trails of pollen-rich plants will help these pollinators thrive in Richmond’s Ecological Network.
Participating in Richmond’s Nectar Trail is easy:
- Visit Let's Talk Richmond - Nectar Trail to mark your gardens location and post photos, or
- Register a garden on the Nectar Trail page or email your name and postal code to nectartrail@richmond.ca, and
- Maintain the garden of pollinating plants and post photos of the garden on social media with the hashtag #RmdNectarTrail until September 30, 2022.
Watch for updates on the City’s social media channels throughout the summer to see the Richmond Nectar Trail map grow.
Pollinator Partnership Canada is a registered charity, dedicated to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems through conservation, education, and research. Bee City Canada is a voluntary membership program that is delivered by Pollinator Partnership Canada. The Bee City Program seeks membership, through certification, for organizations that are committed to promoting pollinator conservation.