Launch of Pollinator's Paradise! The Mason Bee Project in Vancouver

March 16, 2009 (No. 15) - The Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA) the Vancouver Park Board and the City of Vancouver are launching Pollinator's Paradise!, a project dedicated to improving habitat around the city for the Blue Orchard Mason Bee, an important native pollinator.

Friday, March 20, 2009
10:00 - 10:30 am
Rose Garden
Stanley Park
(off Pipeline Road)

The lodge being unveiled in Stanley Park is one of three special 'super lodges', designed and built by woodworking students at Britannia Secondary, and accommodates up to 720 females bees. The Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) will be stewarding the Rose Garden super lodge.

The super lodges are being established in larger, high profile parks in order to increase awareness about the importance of pollinators to our ecosystems and our food system. Fifty smaller lodges are also are being installed by volunteer stewards across Vancouver in parks, community gardens, greenways and other public spaces. Built by Vancouver Technical Secondary School students, the smaller lodges will potentially house up to 72 egg-laying female mason bees.

The Blue Orchard Mason Bee (Osmia lignaria) is non-aggressive, propagates easily and is an extremely effective pollinator. The EYA -initiated project has received funding from Environment Canada, the Vancouver Foundation, Canadian Wildlife Federation, and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

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For more information contact Carol DeFina, Communications Coordinator at 604-257-8440.

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation maintains 220 parks and 40 major facilities throughout the City of Vancouver. The Park Board's mission is to provide, preserve and advocate for parks and recreation services to benefit people, communities and the environment.