The Town is also committed to the development of a Monarch Butterfly Garden to ensure the continuity of our Town’s biodiversity and to offer the Monarch colonies a safe and healthy breeding ground. The butterfly garden, located at Roy D. Locke Park, will not only be host to an abundance of milkweed and other pollinator-friendly plants, it will also provide an educational space for residents and the greater public to learn more about this species.
The garden will provide shelter for Monarch butterflies throughout all stages of life. The garden will be home to a variety of plants, including milkweed and nectar plants such as the Butterfly Milkweed and the New England Aster, all of which are essential to the life cycle of the Monarch.
The Town’s Monarch Butterfly Educational Garden has also received a Monarch Waystation certification by the Monarch Watch, a non-profit organization committed to Monarch education and research, as well as the protection of the species. It is the highest certification awarded by this organization due to the size and the variety of planted species.
In June 2021, the Town of Montreal West officially commited itself to helping to restore monarch habitats by implementing measures to protect the species and by encouraging its citizens to participate in these efforts, so that these magnificent butterflies can once again flourish all over the continent.
Mayor Masella holding the Waystation certificate
Mayor Masella holding the David Suzuki Foundation certificate
To learn more about the Monarch butterfly and what you can do to protect them, take a look at the resources below:
