Butterflyways connect communities

Wolseley

Butterflies. Beautiful little creatures with meanings and stories. Popular in art and poetry. Symbols of transformation. Butterfly season brings out those who want to make sure that butterflies continue to thrive for a long time.

Jennifer Engbrecht has lived in Wolseley for more than 25 years, but some of her Red River Métis ancestors have lived in the area for generations along the Assiniboine, so she’s always felt a connection to the neighbourhood.

For the past 31 years, the music teacher has been employed at École St. Germain in the Louis Riel School Division, where there’s a lot going on related to her interest in connecting learning on the land with music and the arts and deepening the love and care for nature.

“We have a pollinator garden, a vegetable garden that we grow to give back to Harvest Manitoba, and a medicine garden,” said Engbrecht, adding that for the last 11 years an environment club has been part of transformative learning at the school.

“Soon there will be a rain garden as well. We are a UNESCO school and a Sustainable Future School (associated) with Learning for a Sustainable Future,” she continued.

Engbrecht is always on the lookout for more ways to help make a positive impact on the planet, including those closer to home, in her own neighbourhood.

For the last 10 years she’s had a pollinator garden, recognizing their vital role in biodiversity.

When she saw advertising about becoming a Butterflyway Ranger with the David Suzuki Foundation, she was eager to learn more.

“This comes with webinars, resources, and a network of people helping pollinators across Canada,” said Engbrecht, about this volunteer-led movement that is growing habitat for bees and butterflies in neighbourhoods throughout Canada.

“Anyone can join and receive this learning and these resources. The idea is to connect butterflyways across North America, down through the States to Mexico, where they will return at some point. They need to stop along the way often, so pollinator gardens all the way from Canada down to Mexico is the way to go.”

Upon seeing an article about the Glenelm Butterflyway, Engbrecht contacted the creator to learn more about how she did it.

“It’s wonderful to make these connections between people who want to care for the earth. I started to work towards making our own Wolseley Butterflyway in the Wolseley area by contacting (Coun.) Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) to see if they could provide funding for the signs. They happily agreed, and funded many signs that we can see around our neighbourhood today.”

Creating a butterflyway is simple and requires a minimum of 12 gardens, which don’t need to be large or extravagant.

Engbrecht sent messages out on the Wolseley Facebook groups, and several people emailed her to join. She contacted the David Suzuki Foundation to let them know they had more than the amount of gardens needed throughout the area, and soon afterwards received an official butterflyway certificate.

“It is really fun to see the signs throughout the neighbourhood, and see everyone’s gardens. We look forward to having seed-sharing events, and maybe even a bike ride through the neighbourhood to see everyone’s gardens.”

Visit davidsuzuki.org/take-action/act-locally/butterflyway or email wolseleybutterflyway@gmail.com for more information.