The Victoria Airport Authority is teaming up with Pollinator Partnership Canada to build a new native species pollinator garden on YYJ grounds.

More than 2,000 plants will be placed in the pollinator garden, which is about 1,100 square metres.

The plants will be native to the area, which means they’ll need very little maintenance to grow and will support local animals in the region, according to the airport authority.

The VAA adds that each type of plant will be specifically chosen to help support local pollinators, like bees, of which there are 450 native species in B.C.

Pollination is critical for plants and agriculture to thrive, says the airport authority, and the new garden is intended to support local wildlife that feed or live among the vegetation.

“The mixture of local plants and shrubs will provide various cycles of plants for the pollinators, including habitat during dormant periods,” said the airport authority in a release Wednesday.

The new garden will be located on Willingdon Road near the airport’s digital billboard. Many of the plants will not bloom until next spring.

According to the VAA, the area has significant ties to W̱SÁNEĆ culture and history. The local W̱SÁNEĆ leadership council also provided input on the types of plants that will be placed in the garden.

“The new garden will increase the biodiversity of the area, bring awareness to the importance of native plant species, and honour our original ecosystem,” said the airport authority.