Art installation commissioned by WWF-Canada promotes Montréal’s biodiversity
MONTREAL, July 28, 2017 – World Wildlife Fund Canada is celebrating the richness of Montréal’s biodiversity with a five-part eco-art installation by Edina Tokodi, one of the originators of the “green guerilla” art movement and founder of the Mosstika creative studio.
As of July 29, the installation will be open to visitors of the “ephemeral library” in Rutherford Park (part of the Promenade Fleuve-Montagne at the entrance to Mount Royal), which runs until Oct. 31. The installation is made of engraved plywood panels and vegetable mosses, and showcases native species such as the red fox, map turtle, common milkweed and wild strawberry.
Sophie Paradis, director of Quebec region for WWF-Canada, says:
“Here in Montreal, our organization works on projects to promote urban biodiversity both on land and in the water, including Biopolis and Blue Montreal. We’re participating in the Promenade Fleuve-Montage to encourage communities to connect with nature in the urban environment. Combining art and ecology is a creative and positive way to educate people about the importance of biodiversity and mobilize them to ‘green’ and ‘blue’ their neighbourhoods.”
“Here in Montreal, our organization works on projects to promote urban biodiversity both on land and in the water, including Biopolis and Blue Montreal. We’re participating in the Promenade Fleuve-Montage to encourage communities to connect with nature in the urban environment. Combining art and ecology is a creative and positive way to educate people about the importance of biodiversity and mobilize them to ‘green’ and ‘blue’ their neighbourhoods.”
Planting biodiversity in five workshops
WWF-Canada will also offer five free public workshops in the ephemeral library in August and September. The workshops are designed to support Montreal’s urban biodiversity by encouraging participants to contribute to the flowering of native species in their communities.
WWF-Canada will also offer five free public workshops in the ephemeral library in August and September. The workshops are designed to support Montreal’s urban biodiversity by encouraging participants to contribute to the flowering of native species in their communities.
- Aug. 11 and 18: The Seed Explosion: Learn to create seed bombs
- Sept. 9, 16 and 23: Wildflower Workshop: Learn how to harvest, sort and bag local wildflower seeds.
For additional details and times of the workshops, stay tuned and follow WWF-Canada on Facebook.
Montreal’s biodiversity by the numbers
- 1,060 species of vascular plants
- 359 species of birds
- 180 species of bees
- 88 species of fish
- 13 species of amphibians
- Eight species of reptiles
- 10 wildlife species of special status
The ephemeral library is located on the Promenade Fleuve-Montagne in Rutherford Park on the McTavish Reservoir. It runs from Thursday to Sunday, between July 29 and October 31, 2017.
About World Wildlife Fund Canada
WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. For more information, visit wwf.ca.
For further information
Laurence Cayer-Desrosiers | Specialist, communications and events, WWF-Canada
514.703.2409, [email protected]
514.703.2409, [email protected]