St. Marys launches first pollinator garden pilot project

Town holding a colouring contest to celebrate new project

The Town of St. Marys has launched the first of what they hope to be many pollinator gardens and is encouraging young residents of the town to help celebrate by entering a colouring contest.

The garden is a part of the Town’s Forestry Management Plan which outlines the Town’s approach for maintaining, enhancing and protecting the urban forest. The TD Friends of the Environment Foundation has generously sponsored the creation of this pollinator garden.

The pollinator garden was planted by Town and Upper Thames River Conservation Authority staff on June 4, 2021. It is a 165 square metre garden area located within the St. Marys Cemetery and adjacent to Sparling Bush. Town Staff will monitor the area and anticipate the plants will reach full growth in 2022.

“We’re very excited to start this project,” Says Jed Kelly, Director of Public Works. “This pollinator garden will help us make informed decisions when establishing additional pollinator gardens in the future.”

Just as Town staff will learn from this pollinator garden, young residents of the town are encouraged to join in on the fun and learn more about the benefits of a pollinator garden with a colouring contest. Entrants will have the chance to win one of three prizes!

More details and the colouring sheet can be found at townofstmarys.com/pollinator. Completed entries can be emailed to communications@town.stmarys.on.ca or dropped off at Town Hall on or before June 21, 2021. Winners will be contacted directly and announced on the Town’s Facebook page. 

There are many benefits of pollinator gardens including:

• Support dwindling populations of native pollinators including butterflies, moths and bees
• Acting as a habitat for various animals and insects including caterpillars, spiders, birds, frogs, and other small animals.
• They help clean the air through creating oxygen and consuming carbon dioxide
• They help control unwanted bugs.

For more information on this pilot project and the benefits of pollinator gardens to the environment, visit townofstmarys.com/pollinator or contact Jed Kelly, Director of Public Works at 519-284-2340 ext. 244 or jkelly@town.stmarys.on.ca

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For media inquiries:

Beverly Brenneman, Corporate Communications Manager
519-284-2340, ext. 432 | bbrenneman@town.stmarys.on.ca