To the editor:
Re: "Wing and a prayer," March 9.
Raptors are not the only urban wildlife that require some habitat to be protected. Our endangered songbird populations, pollinators such as butterflies and native bees (which generally burrow in the ground), honey bees, amphibians such as frogs and salamanders and other small creatures make even the tiniest patch of wild land their homes. Ideally, they will live in areas of largely native plantings-remnants of the forest ecology that was here before the city. It is probably time for the city to enact bylaws to encourage and enforce protection of what is left, both on public and private lands. Perhaps some incentives for private landowners to develop even a small backyard patch of native plantings to attract birds, bees and butterflies.
Naturescape British Columbia is a program that promotes the enhancement, protection and creation of urban wildlife areas. It would be wise to encourage, probably mandate, new development to either preserve existing native plant and tree populations within development sites or add some areas in to the mix if they do not pre-exist.
Blair Petrie, Vancouver
