McMaster University recognizes that the University and surrounding Hamilton area, including their nature spaces, are situated on traditional territories shared between the Haudenosaunee confederacy and Anishnaabe nations. These lands are protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum belt. The wampum uses the symbolism of a dish to represent the territory, and one spoon to represent that the people are to share the resources of the land and only take what they need.
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Nature @ McMaster

Stop#1 – Baseball Diamonds

At the Baseball Diamonds, also known as the first stop on the Bee Trail, five bee homes constructed from durable pine wood and filled with paper tubes were installed in 2019. This project was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Facility Services and the Academic Sustainability Program’s Office during the 100in1Day event. The 100in1Day initiative encourages community-driven projects that foster sustainability and enhance urban living. In the neighbouring grass area honeybees were removed in 2024 to support native bee species by removing a large source of resource competition and allowing for a more balanced ecosystem. Honeybees are a non-native species from Europe and are considered a livestock animal. In native ecosystems they act as an invasive species, spreading diseases to native bees and contributing to major resource competition and conflict.

 

Fun Fact:  Ontario’s orchards and fields benefit greatly from native bees, which help pollinate apples, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, cucumbers, and even beans—boosting yields naturally and reducing dependency on honey bees alone. (1)

 

Species Highlight:

 

References:

  1. Chan S, Raine N. Introduction to Native Pollinators on Farms in Ontario [Internet]. Farms at Work. 2018. Available from: https://farmsatwork.ca/sites/default/files/Fact%20Sheet%20%231%20Introduction%20to%20Native%20Pollinators%20on%20Ontario%20Farms_1.pdf