Re: “Victoria plan ranges from coffee cups to childcare,” Dec. 20.
I am writing as a longtime Victoria-area gardener about the plan to replant parks and boulevards with native plants.
We gardeners have benefited for decades from leadership and guidance from local governments on water conservation and native-plant enhancement.
One of our vital concerns is support for native bee and insect populations. In a process called coevolution, local insects and commonly planted imported plants have adapted to each other. A quick look at B.C.’s own bee-support website lists many of these imported species as important to bee survival. Bees, in particular, will return yearly to the same food and water supplies.
Science warns us we do not have the luxury of getting this wrong. Native plants are not all drought-tolerant or suitable for public plantings. We need to be planting more flowers, trees and shrubs. Victoria public gardeners have been showing us the way for years by adding water conservation, native plants and habitat enhancement to public plantings.
I urge everyone to study their work and that of others to add plants and insect habitat to our personal spaces. We need bees.
Margret Carswell
Victoria
