In 2019–2020, we undertook projects to restore two meadows (totalling 3.8 hectares) in the Greenbelt.
The project included the following work:
- Seeding the sites with native Ontario plants, chosen in collaboration with the Canadian Wildlife Federation and local naturalists.
- Creating two meadow features, by planting a variety of native plants, like asters and milkweed, that are favoured by pollinators.
- Adding woody debris.
The restoration was successful, with a growth of up to 80 percent coverage in the planted area. Both meadows are being monitored by the University of Ottawa to identify which pollinator species are using the restored habitats. Monarchs and other pollinators, like solitary bees, have been seen feeding on newly seeded plants.
