Published On Jun 22, 2023
What's good for the Monarch is good for biodiversity, and the Canadian Wildlife Federation has found a creative avenue for restoring Monarch habitat in Canada.
* * * * * Transcript * * * * *
The monarch butterfly has been disappearing.
Monarchs need a mix of wildflowers for food, especially Milkweed and shrubs and trees for rest and shelter. But much of this habitat has been lost.
Now, a new project is creating habitat for monarchs across the country – by using our rural roadways and hydro corridors.
The areas along rural roads and hydro lines are often mowed or sprayed with herbicides.
But when turned into meadows full of wildflowers these areas can help the monarchs.
Creating meadow habitats for monarchs also helps biodiversity.
Because what’s good for monarchs is good for thousands of other species as well.
Like bees.
And other insects, such as moths and beetles, and the birds who eat them.
The project helps in other ways too.
The wildflowers store carbon in their deep root systems and by not mowing these areas, less carbon is emitted into the atmosphere.
So far, this project is just scratching the surface of what’s possible.
Canada’s more than one and a half million kilometers of rural roadways and energy corridors offer a lot of potential for the Monarch.
And everyone they can share these spaces with.
(on screen)
The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Rights-of-Way project is funded in part by Environment and Climate Change Canada.