Montreal conservation group angered after Monarch butterfly fields mowed
A Montreal conservation group is baffled and frustrated after a field of shrubs, flowers, and, importantly, milkweed was mowed, threatening local bird populations and Monarch butterflies, they say.
But the Technoparc near the Trudeau airport, which owns the land, say that particular patch wasn't home to Monarchs nor ecologically sensitive, though the Technoparc has set aside other land for protection.
A group called Technoparc Oiseaux calls the land in question "Monarch fields" and says it was razed this week. It wants to know why, and whether the act violates the Migratory Bird Treaty in Canada and the U.S.
"We were dismayed to discover that the fields had been mowed in the middle of nesting season," reads a Technoparc Oiseaux release.
"We know, thanks to eBird and our own observations, that 150 species of birds can inhabit the Champ des Monarques and golf Dorval."
Environment and Climate Change Canada says migratory birds' nests are protected year-round and that "it is prohibited to damage, destroy or remove a non-active nest without a permit or an authorization."
The website and app eBird allows amateur and professional birders to log and track sightings by location. The Technoparc in Montreal is a popular location with birders catching common and rare species on a daily basis.
Woodpeckers, flickers, swallows, and killdeers are spotted there, as well as falcons, kestrels, and herons. The site drew dozens of eager birders with binoculars and cameras this fall when a scissor-tailed flycatcher showed up, far from its usual home in Texas.
Technoparc Oiseaux says that over 4,000 milkweed plants were shredded on the 19-hectare, abandoned federal land north of the Dorval Golf Course, leased by ADM (Aeroports de Montreal).
Before and after photos of the Monarch Fields in the Dorval Technoparc where a conservation group says thousands of milkweed plants were cut during nesting season. SOURCE: Technoparc Oiseaux
The land in question has been left untouched and undeveloped since 2012, and is "an invaluable ecological environment for both field fauna and flora and for its connectivity to sections of wooded wetlands," the group said.
The milkweeds are particularly important to Monarch butterflies' survival, it said. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed which hatch and the caterpillars eat the plant.
The group points out that other species of birds, snakes, mice, shrews, and insects live on the field.
The ADM didn't respond at first to the accusations. But on Monday, it said the patch of land was cut normally, not razed, and that it had little ecological value, even though it's recognized the ecological importance of some nearby spots.
"Two weeks ago, ADM’s maintenance crew mowed the grass in a section of the airport site, specifically because of the presence of ragweed and tall grass, which are nuisances," ADM wrote in a statement to CTV News.
"Our crews certainly did not 'raze' the land, as alleged by some groups, but cut the grass as is standard for normal airport site maintenance operations."
That patch of land used to be part of the golf course and is "brownfield land, zoned industrial," the airport authority said, not a wetland and not a plot that has sensitive species.
"There are no 'monarch fields' at this particular location," it wrote.
"The geographic location of the site, its history, and the low presence of milkweed do not have any critical habitat attributes. In fact, have been no reports of monarch butterflies at this location on the Monarch Mission website in 2022."
It pays careful attention to the local ecology, it said, pointing out it became the only airport authority in Canada to have created protected parkland when it opened Des Sources Ecological Park last year, after announcing the move in 2019.
Within the Des Sources park, the ADM has also put special effort into the Monarch population, it wrote, working with the group Miel Montreal to dedicate certain spaces to the butterflies and planting specially picked native seeds to 10 per cent of these set-aside areas.
But Technoparc Oiseaux said it wanted stronger protections.
In 2019, the City of Montreal became the first Canadian city to be granted GOLD monarch-friendly status, and the group asked this week why an area like one that got plowed is not also protected.
"We must act now to ensure that our green spaces are protected to ensure a healthy future to our children, our fauna and our flora," the group said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.