The Oldman Watershed Council teamed up with the 14th McKillop Cubs and Scouts in Lethbridge this Mother’s Day to build new homes for local pollinators. The youth group helped assemble bumble bee boxes, a hands-on activity designed to support the council’s ongoing efforts to protect at-risk bee species in the region.
This project is part of a larger five-year initiative supported by the federal Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk, which has provided $302,849 to help restore grasslands and improve habitat conditions. The council is focusing on four specific species: the Western Bumble Bee, the Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, the Bohemian Cuckoo Bumble Bee, and Suckley’s Cuckoo Bumble Bee.
Work is already underway in several areas, including the town of Claresholm, which has been identified as critical habitat for the Bohemian Cuckoo Bumble Bee. The initiative also spans across the traditional lands of the Kainai Nation/Blood Tribe, ensuring that conservation efforts are widespread across the watershed.
Beyond building boxes, the council is encouraging residents to get involved in local conservation through citizen science. Volunteers can use iNaturalist to record and upload photos of bumble bee sightings in southwestern Alberta, providing valuable data to help the organization track bee populations and habitat health.
