Butterflyway Ranger program

About the Butterflyway Rangers

The Butterflyway Project is a volunteer-led movement growing highways of habitat for bees and butterflies across Canada.

Since 2017, each year we have recruited awesome people from communities throughout Canada to become Butterflyway Rangers. They are community builders, nature lovers, re-wilders, schemers, and dreamers. Dedicated people with talents and skills to share with others in their communities. They are people who care. People with the courage to lead. People ready to shine.

Butterflyway Rangers help make their communities greener and healthier, one fun planting project and community event at a time. They create opportunities, connect people and champion ideas.

Rangers are the public face of the Butterflyway Project in their communities. They get online leadership training and learn skills to influence and bring people together. They learn about the wonders of bees, butterflies and wildflowers. And they meet a ton of awesome people through the national Butterflyway Rangers network.

The goal of the Butterflyway Project is to establish habitat for local bees and butterflies in communities throughout the country. Each Ranger is tasked with organizing a small local team to help them plant at least a dozen pollinator patches.

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Rangers Karen and Pam hand out milkweed plants, make seed bombs with kids, and distribute educational pamphlets at a Block Party in Riverview, NB.
Ranger Catherine sells native plants at the St-Lazare local market in Montreal, QC in September 2022. Minister of Health Christian Dubé and Deputy Marilyn Picard are thrilled to learn about the Butterflyway Project. From left to right: Catherine Décarie, Marilyn Picard, Johanne Bérubé, Christian Dubé.
Ranger Suzan in the Cascade Green Park Butterflyway Garden, located on the lower Sunshine Coast in BC. Credit: Dave McConchie
Butterflyway Project booth at environmental fair in Whitchurch-Stouffville, ON. Credit: Micole Rubinoff
Monarch on meadow blazing star in a Butterflyway garden in Georgina, ON. Credit: Yulia Lasenko
Butterflyway Rangers gather at the Oak Bay Tea Party Parade in Victoria, B.C.
Mitchell Elementary School students learn about the importance of butterflies and bees at their school's butterfly garden.
Butterflyway Rangers Stephen Deedes-Vincke and Sally Hocking at the Blueridge Good Neighbour Day celebration.
Butterflyway Ranger Rachel Tam at the Paulik Park pollinator patch.
Ranger Stephen Deedes-Vincke and his wife Sally Hocking went door-to-door to convince neighbours to help green the laneway behind their houses. They celebrated the official naming of the Butterflyway Lane with a neighbourhood block party. (Photo: Janice Williams)
Students at Daniel Woodward Elementary School planted a butterfly garden in their Richmond schoolyard. They nurtured and watered the patch during the long hot summer holidays, earning special recognition as a Butterflyway School.
In late May, Toronto adopted an impressive pollinator protection strategy and officially proclaimed Milkweed Day, which coincided with a joint city-DSF #gotmilkweed giveaway.
Butterflyway Rangers take part in the Blueridge Good Neighbour Day parade in North Vancouver.
Butterflyway Rangers get busy planting pollinator patches at Royal Orchard Park in Markham, Ontario.
Butterflyway Rangers at the David Suzuki Foundation's Pizza in the Park event in Toronto, Ontario.

Being a Ranger

Rangers are part of an inspiring national network of pollinator advocates, educators and habitat creators, and land stewards. They receive online training from David Suzuki Foundation staff and national experts via monthly webinars and online resources, and connect with one another through on-line meet-ups, social media, and in-person gatherings.

Expectations

Rangers are volunteers. DSF asks them to attend training webinars and networking sessions, and to take action locally to protect and restore pollinator populations. Rangers and their projects vary greatly, however a focus should be the creation of a Butterflyway, which is 12 or more habitat gardens in close proximity. Other activities include hosting and participating in on-line and in-person events, including seed and plant sales and swaps and seasonal and educational fairs.

Selection process and timeline

DSF recruits new Rangers early in the year, typically February. If you are interested in applying to become a Ranger, please sign-up for the David Suzuki Foundation e-newsletter or follow DSF on social media. If you would like to connect with a Ranger in your community, please email ccirillo@davidsuzuki.org.