The Butterflyway Project is a volunteer-led movement that’s bringing nature home to neighbourhoods throughout Canada, one butterfly-friendly planting at a time.

The Butterflyway Project began in five Canadian cities in 2017. The David Suzuki Foundation recruited a team of volunteer Butterflyway Rangers in each. Their mission was to plant native wildflowers in yards, schoolyards, streets and parks to support bees and butterflies. The goal was to establish local “Butterflyways” by planting at least a dozen pollinator patches in each neighbourhood or community.

Over the past four years, DSF recruited and trained 1,008 Butterflyway Rangers from over 100 communities. They’ve connected with neighbours, schools, city agencies, businesses and community groups. From 2017 to 2020, they’ve helped:

• Get 54,000 butterfly-friendly wildflowers into the ground.
• Create 1000+ pollinator patches.
• Establish official Butterflyways in 15 communities.

The Butterflyway Project shows that a small group of residents can make a big difference. Rangers make their communities greener and healthier. They create opportunities, connect people and champion fun ideas.

The Butterflyway Project is based on DSF Homegrown National Park Project, an award-winning initiative project that created butterfly-friendly corridors in three Toronto neighbourhoods. In 2020, the Butterflyway Project received the Canadian Museum of Nature’s 2020 Nature Inspiration Award!

In 2021, even with a pandemic happening, over 1000 new Butterfly Rangers headed out to plant pollinator patches throughout Canada.