Native Plants: Sowing Seeds of Possibility
—by Madeleine Fournier of Green Orillia
Native plants have been present in the landscape since time immemorial. These plants have co-evolved with the land and its wildlife, playing crucial roles in the ecological balance and cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples. So why is it that seeing biodiverse ecosystems abundant with native plants seems so rare these days?
Like many things, the destruction and deterioration of native plants and biodiverse ecosystems and life forms are due to colonization. European settlers brought profound ecological changes, including the introduction of non-native species, deforestation, clearing the land for agriculture, and urban development. These changes often led to the displacement, reduction, or even extinction of many native plant species.
Unfortunately, in this era of late-stage capitalism and ongoing colonialism, many of these forces persist. The ‘North American lawn’, a cultural and aesthetic phenomenon characterized by green, well-manicured, monoculture grass is the middle-class norm. When gardens are present, they are likely to be filled with non-native ornamental plants.
And then there’s the farmland problem. Corn and soybean are major crops in Ontario, and significant portions (literally millions of acres) of farmland are dedicated to their cultivation. This monoculture farming is associated with high pesticide use and is sure to eliminate native plant life and biodiversity.
And when we’re not using farmland for monoculture production, we’re paving it over altogether. According to the latest Census of Agriculture in 2022, Ontario is losing 319 acres of farmland every day. Much of this can be attributed to urbanization, or more specifically, urban sprawl. Natural land is a hot commodity for speculators and developers waiting to turn it into their next sprawling subdivision (with large green manicured lawns and homes they can sell on the market for exorbitant prices).
So, what is to be done?
As a start, for those of us fortunate enough to have personal access to a yard, we can remove our monoculture lawns, avoid pesticide use, and let them naturalize. Then, we can reintroduce native plants: trees, shrubs, and wildflowers will bring your yard to life with colour, pollinators, wildlife, and budding biodiversity!
For those local to Orillia & area, grassroots group Mariposa Pollinators are a great resource: They are a collaborative group with the shared goal of creating safe spaces for pollinators to forage. They educate and engage community on the importance of pollinators and their habitats. They also share native wildflower seeds and seedlings!
Some other great resources to learn more about native plant gardening are: David Suzuki Foundation’s Butterflyway Project, Pollinator Partnership Canada, Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library, and Wildflower Farm.
Most importantly, however, we must look beyond solutions that simply reduce the biodiversity crisis to our individual yards. The real crisis lies in the fact that millions of acres of natural land are being rapidly lost for the profit of a few. Real reconciliation starts with putting land stewardship back into the hands of Indigenous people and centering the deep knowledge, land-based teachings, and sustainable practices that Indigenous communities have held for millenia.
Local solutions that inspire hope are land trusts working to protect land and restore native ecosystems such as Mno Aki Land Trust and The Couchiching Conservancy, and community garden and farming projects such as Lakehead Farm Lab, High Street Park Community Garden, and Rama Community Farm which boast diversified mixed crops of annuals paired with native fruiting trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and berry bushes.
In exciting news, this year, Streets Alive Productions is teaming up with Green Orillia and Mariposa Pollinators for the summer 2024 outdoor art project in downtown Orillia called ‘Pollinator Friendly’!
Sixty different flowers will be painted by local artists to reflect an Ontario native wildflower species, so crucial to a healthy ecosystem and our pollinator friends. We have also obtained permission from the City of Orillia to transform two raised planter beds in a main downtown parking lot into a native wildflower garden, with educational signage. Hopefully this initiative will sow the seeds of possibilities about some of the themes touched on in this article, along with providing habitat for the butterflies, bees, and everything in between!
Green Orillia is a volunteer-run community group focused on climate action, social justice, advocacy, education, democracy, and community resilience in Orillia and area. Follow Green Orillia on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, join the Facebook Discussion Group, sign up for the e-newsletter, or check out the website. Get in touch at greenorillia@gmail.com