This posting originally appeared on The Fountain Pen:
Guelph City Councillor Vicki Beard has been recognized by the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) for her work on pollinator habitats. Beard, one of five individuals from Canada, the United States and Mexico, was presented with the 2007 Pollinator Advocate Award in Washington D.C. on 24 October 2007.
The honour recognizes Beard’s efforts to protect existing pollinator habitats and foster new ones, and for her work to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators. In recent years, North America has seen a decline in pollinators which include bees, butterflies, humming birds and moths. This has happened as a result of development which destroys natural habitats, pesticides, insecticides and disease.
Beard, who was nominated by University of Guelph professors Dr. Peter Kevan and Dr. Vernon Thomas, maintains a garden on her property that measures three quarters of an acre and is home to more than 350 plant species. The plants are `pollinator-friendly,’ and were chosen so they could support pollinators during each phase of their lives.
More than 70 organizations across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are represented in the NAPPC. Further information can be found on its web site at www.nappc.org.