During the spring term, the Sustainability Office and volunteers removed over 10 bags of invasive species from the pollinator garden on the hill beside the DWE parking lot. The garden was initially planted last year after removing the dense patch of garlic mustard and other invasive species. However, many invasive species seeds remain in the soil and are germinating. To combat this, the Sustainability Office conducts regular maintenance on the garden and hosts workdays to remove the invasive species. Species removed include garlic mustard, common buckthorn, knotweed, thistle, and burdock.
The native plants planted last year are starting to spread and cover the hill. As the wild strawberries continue to grow, they will provide a ground cover over the hill to prevent the growth of invasive species. Moreover, these native plants provide nutritious pollen for pollinators like bees and butterflies. Supporting pollinators and native plants is one way to support biodiversity and increase our environmental resilience.
If you would like to support sustainability on campus, consider signing up to be a Green Volunteer. On September 7 from 10:30am-1:30pm (ET), you can volunteer to help sort waste at the Black & Gold Carnival, setting an example for our new first-year students. To sign up, email sustainability@uwaterloo.ca expressing your interest before September 2 with your name, department/faculty, email, and phone number.