Resources and Events

P2C continues to support Project Swallowtail by focusing on supporting youth education and empowerment through connecting with nature, enhancing local native seed stock in Southern Ontario, and supporting Block Ambassadors to engage in their own unique activities with community members and individuals through Pollinator Steward Certification (PSC) training!

For updates on future events, visit the new Project Swallowtail webpage.

Over 216 Project Swallowtail Block Ambassadors and PollinateTO participants have taken Pollinator Steward Certification since Project Swallowtail's inception. Congratulations to all participants for your engagement and enthusiasm. The success of the initial group's training led to the development of the Pollinator Steward Certification program on a national stage!

Pollinator Steward Certification (PSC) is a unique certification program offered only by Pollinator Partnership Canada (P2C), the largest non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of pollinators and their habitat. P2C has been at the forefront of pollinator research, education and habitat improvement for over 10 years. Certification as a Pollinator Steward demonstrates that you have a science-based understanding of pollinators and gives you the practical know-how to help them. Certification also shows that you have used your knowledge to create habitat and educate others.

Seed Sitters receive seed tray kits that they will take care of over the winter and into spring. Yes, that's right - most native plant seeds need an 'overwintering' period of cold to kick-start their germination process! Come summer and fall, Seed Sitters then spread these plants to community gardens and neighbourhood yards, and others are be used to engage and recruit new participants to Project Swallowtail.

Check out the Seeds to Seedlings workshop below from Block Ambassador and steering committee member Pete Ewins, and the Seed Sitters webpage to learn how to start your own seeds.

Check out all of our previous programming and meet some of the wonderful volunteers of the Project Swallowtail community by visiting our YouTube Playlist!

Our 2023 roster of activities included in-person and online events with EcoSpark, Block Ambassador training, Introducing the plants for the 2023 sale, the plant sale itself, and more!

Plant Sale returned in June 2023

Our 2023 plant sale sold over 2,600 native plants to community members, with the option to purchase "Plant it Forward" kits to those with barriers to accessing native plants. In 2022 through our spring plant sale, over 8,000 high quality native plants were planted by Project Swallowtail participants throughout the GTA and beyond. To see which species were included in the different kits that were offered throughout the years, please see our Plant and Butterfly guides.

For updates on future plant sales, go to the new Project Swallowtail webpage

Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF) and Project Swallowtail launched a joint campaign to increase pollinator awareness and habitat in west Toronto from late August to November of 2020.
 We were excited to continue our partnership with LEAF in 2022.

Trees and shrubs provide some of the most crucial floral resources for pollinators in early spring. This joint campaign focuses on encouraging Project Swallowtail participants and other Toronto residents to purchase a tree or shrub from the Project Swallowtail list through LEAF's subsidized Backyard Tree Planting Program.

We encourage you to learn more about LEAF and their subsidized trees and shrubs by visiting their website today!