Biodiversity islands

This pilot project involves allowing residents of Vaudreuil-Dorion to let vegetation grow on a section of their property (front, back or side yard) beyond a height of 30 cm in order to favour the establishment of indigenous flowers and grasses, increase urban biodiversity, and promote the presence of pollinator insects, all while respecting the standards and criteria that have been set pertaining to maintenance.

Setting up a biodiversity island can be achieved by allowing vegetation to grow naturally, by sowing a mixture of flowers, or by adding mature indigenous plants. To maintain such an island, you simply need to mow the lawn surrounding it to clearly delineate the area and control the growth of unwanted plant species. Caution! This is not about neglecting the property, but rather managing part of an urban plot of land using an ecological approach.

The project is split into two components: Residential and municipal.

Residential component

The residential component aims to allow a limited number of single-family homeowners (30) to let vegetation grow on their property as a means to create biodiversity islands for pollinators. The pilot project will be carried out in pre-selected areas of the City:

• Des Chenaux (portion located south of Highway 40)
• Vaudreuil City Centre (area bordered by avenue Saint-Charles, Quinchien river, exo railway and rue du Manoir)
• Des Floralies

To participate, residents must adhere to certain pre-established criteria to ensure they do not compromise safety and social cohesion. Environmental awareness agents will inspect the property of participating citizens during the summer to ensure compliance with these criteria and assist citizens as needed.

Criteria:

• Keep a clear strip of land measuring 2 metres along public roadways, bicycle paths and private entrances.
• Keep a clear strip of land measuring 2 metres around all buildings.
• Keep a clear strip of land measuring 2 metres along property lines.
• Keep a clear strip of land measuring 3 metres around any combustion appliance (outdoor conventional or fuel-operated fireplace, outdoor cooking appliance running on charcoal, propane, or gas).
• Biodiversity islands must not obstruct road signs or the building’s civic number.
• For corner lots, the vegetation located within the visibility triangle must be less than 0.9 metres tall.

Conditions:

• Plants that are harmful to health or pose a risk to the environment must be controlled to limit their spread (ragweed, poison ivy, giant hogweed, common reed, Japanese knotweed, etc.). They should be disposed of in the garbage in a sturdy bag to prevent spread.

Citizens wishing to set up a biodiversity island on their property, and who live in one of the sectors targeted by the pilot project, are invited to fill out this form and send it to the Environment Section between May 10th and June 1st. Those eligible will be notified by a member of the Environment Section during the first week of June. For the first year of the pilot project, only 30 landowners will be authorized to set up a biodiversity island. Their participation will be valid for one year, and they will have to reapply for subsequent years, if the project is renewed.

Each participant will receive a poster to identify the island as well as a bag of wildflower seeds.

For more information: 450 455-3371, option 1 or environnement@ville.vaudreuil-dorion.qc.ca

The Butterflyway Project’s local citizen association also regularly disseminates information on pollinator-friendly developments.

Some examples of biodiversity islands in Nicolet