Environmental Stewardship Committee Update – July 24, 2026

Native Plants Bring Butterflies to the OAC River Path

A beautiful new pollinator garden is taking root along the Old Ausable Channel (OAC) River Path between Path 2 and Path 3. Planted with a collection of native wildflowers and shrubs, the garden is already beginning to attract butterflies, bees, and other beneficial pollinators while adding colour and interest to the riverside trail. Native plants are uniquely adapted to our local environment and provide the food and habitat that pollinators need to thrive.

The garden features Prairie Smoke, Hairy Beardtongue, Smooth Blue Aster, Butterfly Weed, Gray Goldenrod, Hoary Vervain, and New Jersey Tea. Each species plays an important role in supporting wildlife throughout the growing season. Butterfly Weed is essential for Monarch butterflies, serving as the only host plant for their caterpillars. Prairie Smoke and Hairy Beardtongue provide valuable early-season nectar, while Hoary Vervain, Gray Goldenrod, and Smooth Blue Aster offer late-season blooms that fuel migrating butterflies. New Jersey Tea is another important native shrub, supporting a wide variety of pollinators and several species of butterflies and moths.

As the plants mature, the garden will become an increasingly vibrant habitat and a wonderful place for visitors to pause and enjoy nature. Every native plant helps strengthen local biodiversity, creating food and shelter for pollinators that are essential to healthy ecosystems. The next time you walk the OAC River Path, take a moment to visit the pollinator garden and watch for the butterflies that now have a welcoming place to feed, grow, and thrive.