Rosemère, June 21, 2018 – Today, at Hamilton House in Rosemère, the Town was awarded the David Suzuki Foundation's certification as a Monarch-Friendly Town, in recognition of Rosemère's commitment to this butterfly. In addition, the Town took this opportunity to unveil urban beehives, as announced last March. Rosemère Mayor Eric Westram and Town Councillors as well as representatives of the Alvéole company in charge of beehive management all got together for this occasion.

"Nature in Rosemère is a guarantee of quality of life. That is why we believe that our efforts to maintain our pollinator-friendly sites are important actions for future generations. The David Suzuki Foundation's certification is a demonstration of the Town's commitment to take action in the interest of the environment and a green town," stated Mayor Eric Westram.

The butterfly effect

Since 1990, in Rosemère, strict anti-pesticide rules have helped pollinators survive. This is one of the measures requested by the Foundation to ensure certification, namely, to "adopt rules to ban pesticides that harm pollinators". The Foundation also recognizes the adoption of rules prioritizing biological and integrated efforts to reduce pesticide use. In addition, the organization of the distribution of milkweed and native plants on Back to the Earth Day is also a recognized commitment made by the Town.

"Municipalities play a crucial role in the conservation of the monarch and its habitat. They can take actions that have a positive impact on the species and on other pollinators, in addition to raising their residents' awareness of the importance of contributing to this conservation effort. We commend Rosemère for this commitment it has made and we hope it will inspire other municipalities to join this vast movement to protect this symbolic butterfly," explained Martine Gariépy, Public Engagement Specialist at the David Suzuki Foundation.

The queens in their hive

The Town of Rosemère boasts a wealth of honey plants of all kinds, in gardens, flower beds and parks, encouraging the presence of pollinating insects. "Residents will have a chance to observe bees gathering pollen and working in the hive, giving everyone an opportunity to safely learn about beekeeping, bees and honey extraction, with the help of experts," mentioned the Mayor.

The experience of Alvéole, the company in charge of maintenance and educational workshops, is focused on safety, education and the special management of beehives in urban areas.