Planting a bat-friendly garden may seem odd, but the City of Port Moody is encouraging the initiative to ensure that bats continue to survive and thrive in the Lower Mainland.
To enhance wildlife-friendly habitats, the city recently planted bat-friendly garden beds in three locations:
- Pioneer Memorial Park (275 Knowle St.)
- Westhill Park (203 Westhill Park)
- outside the civic centre at Port Moody City Hall (100 Newport Dr.)
Among the species that went into the ground were flowering plants such as Nootka rose, mock orange and hardhack.
These plants attract or host moth caterpillars and other insects that make up the local bats’ food source, according to the city in a press release.
Port Moody was recently certified as a bat-friendly city by Community Bats Program of B.C.
At the time, Danielle Dagenais, the program’s regional co-ordinator, said the certification helps "ensure our local bat populations are loved for their importance."
She added bats are one of the most common wildlife inhabiting urban areas, but they’re often overlooked because of their nocturnal lifestyle.
The bat-friendly certification is earned through meeting bat conservation criteria such as protecting, creating or enhancing habitat, and committing to ongoing bat habitat conservation and education.
Port Moody is the fifth B.C. community to be certified as bat-friendly, after Dawson Creek, Peachland, Richmond and Delta.
Why bat stewardship important
“Seeking bat-friendly community status was a recommendation that came from our Environmental Protection Committee in 2022 and our council was pleased to support it,” stated Mayor Meghan Lahti in a press release.
“We know that stewardship and management of bats and their roost sites is important for the future of bats in B.C. Ensuring we have a resilient natural environment is a high priority for council and the city, and we’re committed to improving bat habitat and sharing information with the community about why it’s important to protect bats and bat colonies,” Lahti added.
As many as nine different bat species have been observed in the region, including the endangered Little Brown Myotis.
Port Moody’s natural areas provide important habitat for bats, particularly along the Shoreline Trail and around Westhill Park.
It's known that bats play important ecosystem roles, such as controlling insect populations (like mosquitoes) and pollinating plants.
What local groups are monitoring bats
Other groups are also working to ensure bat survival, including Burke Mountain Naturalists, which monitors Port Moody bats and cares for bat boxes in the city.
BCIT students have also played an important role, through a recent ecological study to assess bat habitat around Shoreline Trail.
To learn about bats and the certification program for bat-friendly communities, visit bcbats.ca.
