Ducks Unlimited Canada recognizes pollinator partners

Stonewall, Man. – It’s time to talk about the birds and the bees. Thanks to the support from conservation partners such as Nutrien, Cargill and McDonald’s Canada, birds and bees alike are benefitting from increased habitat and food sources through farm-gate sustainability programs. Research shows that healthy landscapes that host mixed natural areas including grasslands, wetlands, shelterbelts and ditch vegetation all aid in increased biodiversity and safe spaces for pollinators. Increasing these areas to benefit pollinator health is a goal shared by all Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) conservation partners.

June 19 is the start of National Pollinator Week, and DUC is celebrating the role its conservation community plays in enhancing biodiversity and creating spaces for all kinds of pollinators and beneficial insects. By supporting DUC’s forage and marginal areas programs, Nutrien, Cargill and McDonald’s Canada are all contributing to better biodiversity outcomes while also increasing crop and forage production in agricultural areas. The marginal areas program specifically retires poorly producing acres and replaces them with perennial forage or a pollinator-friendly flowering seed mix.

According to DUC research, mixed natural areas play a very important role in providing resources to wild pollinators for nesting and foraging, especially when located in cropped landscapes. With abundant habitat, pollinators help increase crop production through increased pollination, which ultimately boosts producers’ bottom lines.

“The contribution Canadian farmers and ranchers make with the support from our conservation partners in providing habitat for pollinators is significant and it’s a collaboration we are proud to recognize,” says Kristine Tapley, DUC’s sustainable agriculture lead. “Natural areas, flowering crops such as canola, grasslands and wetlands all play a role in sustainable agriculture by providing exactly what pollinators need to survive and thrive while at the same time safeguarding the health of our soil and water.”

Bees and other pollinators have a natural partnership with agriculture. Many studies of insect pollination in canola demonstrate increases in yield. These results make a strong case for setting aside areas that benefit pollinators to further maximize crop production. And when we include mixed natural areas, our communities also benefit from increased landscape resiliency through flood and drought mitigation, water filtration and carbon storage.

There are almost 1,000 bee species native to Canada and these tiny creatures significantly benefit from grasslands, wetlands and other natural areas. To support our local pollinators, we can help by increasing the amount and variety of flowers available to them. Providing a pollen- and nectar-rich mix of agricultural legumes is a good step, and that’s why conservation initiatives such as DUC’s Marginal Areas Program are so important.

Explore all the conservation programs that aid in pollinator health at ag.ducks.ca or contact your local DUC office to learn more about eligible programs options near you.

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