Youth are Creating a Buzz

Over the last six years of working at Ontario Nature, one of my greatest prides has been initiating and supporting Ontario Nature’s Youth Council.

Now comprised of more than 90 members, one of the focuses for the Youth Council has been on wild pollinators and in 2014 they initiated a campaign to bring awareness to the issues leading to pollinator decline in Ontario and worldwide.

Committed to making a positive difference, 23 members of the Youth Council gathered for a weekend in November to develop the next actions to take for pollinators.

Their ambitious plans for their communities include:

• Encouraging municipalities to become Bee Cities and adopt pollinator-friendly practices – nine potential municipalities were identified ;
• Encouraging their schools to sign on as Bee Schools and Campuses and creating habitat for pollinators – eight schools and one campus were identified ;
• Creating educational resources illustrating the issues facing pollinators for children, youth and adult audiences;
•  Delivering pollinator workshops and presentations; and
•  Creating pollinator habitat through at least seven planting events in spring 2017.

Impressive to say the least! If you are interested in supporting the Youth Council’s efforts to make a difference for pollinators, now is a perfect time.

Follow the Youth Council on Facebook and Instagram to see these plans come to action over the next year.

As Ontario Nature's managing director, Sarah manages day-to-day operations to ensure that Ontario Nature achieves its objectives and mission. She joined Ontario Nature in August 2010 and holds a B.Sc. in environmental science from Queen’s University. Her previous roles at Ontario Nature include managing and coordinating several conservation and education programs.