Friends of the Pollinators Research Lab
About
This remote research lab was created to apply multi-disciplinary knowledge and approaches to monarch butterfly and other pollinators' conservation, research, and community engagement efforts in Alberta. Due to a lack of data on migrating monarch butterflies and milkweed availability in Alberta, the main objective of our research project was created to monitor milkweed and monarch butterfly migration in Alberta. The project visions and objective aims to monitor and research many more pollinators, animals, and plants in the future. This research project and lab is funded by Yorkville University. Multi-disciplinary fields drawn on for this project include comparative psychology, biology, ecology, and gender and disability studies.
Education is an important part of our work. If you are interested in a presentation on butterfly conservation, please contact us!
Contact:
Yorkville University
Email: friendsofthepollinators@gmail.com
Graduate Student: Janine (Jasper June) Heber
Thank you to Yorkville University for funding this project.
Research Supervisors: Dr. Andrew Fuyarchuk
Land Acknowledgement and Commitment
Friends of the Pollinators Research Lab is situated in Treaty 6 territory, which is the traditional and present, ancestral, and unceded territory, travelling route, gathering place and home of many Indigenous Peoples, including the Cree, Tsuut'ina, Haudenosaunee, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Métis, Dene, Anishinaabe, Nakota Sioux, and Inuit. We are committed to honoring, respecting, and continually learning from Indigenous knowledge of the land and stewardship.
Research Objectives
Monarch and Milkweed Surveys and Monitoring
Monarch and Milkweed Surveys and Monitoring
Monarch and Milkweed Surveys and Monitoring
In central and southern Alberta, milkweed and monarch butterflies will be monitored. Historical analysis of citizen science reports made in the last ten years on milkweed sightings and monarch butterflies will also be compiled into a map. (June-September)
Native Plant Restoration
Monarch and Milkweed Surveys and Monitoring
Monarch and Milkweed Surveys and Monitoring
Native plants and a pollinator garden is in the process of creation to provide host plants to various local butterfly species. (February-October)
Community Engagement
Monarch and Milkweed Surveys and Monitoring
Community Engagement
Community engagement will be fostered through making accessible educational resources on monarch and local pollinator conservation. One of these project outcomes will be a community resource book. Another outcome is encouraging and celebrating community members who participate in citizen science. (Year-round)