Toronto, Ontario Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat
Type: Policy
Status: Adopted
Source File: http://www.toronto.ca/parks/hbbh.htm
Description:
HUMBER BAY BUTTERFLY HABITAT: IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
The Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat (HBBH) is an ecological restoration project that provides critical habitat for a variety of native butterfly species. Located along the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto's west end, HBBH incorporates a diversity of native wildflowers, shrubs, trees, grasses, sedges and a variety of physical features known to support butterflies throughout their life cycles. Throughout the site, interpretive features explore the relationship between butterflies and their natural habitat. The goal of the HBBH is to establish a self-sustaining native plant community which will support a variety of butterfly species, while educating park users about the value of urban conservation.
The Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat is honoured with a Regional Merit Award from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects
The Parks and Recreation Division is pleased to be honoured with a 2003 Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Regional Merit Award for its newly opened Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat (HBBH).
HBBH is located in Humber Bay Park East along the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto's west-end. It was officially opened on September 24th, 2002, after 3 years of planning, design and implementation. The goal of HBBH is to establish a self-sustaining community of native vegetation that will attract a variety of native species of butterflies, while educating and engaging the public about urban wildlife habitat.
The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Regional Award winners represent the very best regional work completed by Ontario Landscape Architects. Announced on March 1 in Winnipeg, winning projects demonstrated excellence in visionary, artistic and environmentally responsible design solutions. The jury remarked that HBBH carries a strong sense of place, and it brings the importance of conservation to the public in a tangible way.
Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat is the first of its kind to have large areas devoted exclusively to native plants and to incorporate large plantings through the organization of volunteer stewards. As well, it is the first to incorporate a "Home Garden" component where the general public can see first hand some of the types of plants they can use in their own backyards to increase urban wildlife habitat.