$230,000 FOR MONARCH BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION
Transition Habitat Conservancy is excited and proud to announce that NFWF has awarded us this extremely competitive grant to contribute to Monarch butterfly conservation! Puma Canyon Ecological Reserve is located within the California State Priority 1 area for the Monarch butterfly recovery action zone. We are within the early breeding zone for Western Monarchs.
This federal grant was awarded to just 18 applicants across the nation. Here is an excerpt from today’s official press release:
“The projects supported by the 18 grants announced today will increase the quality and quantity of pollinator habitat for monarch butterflies, rusty patched bumble bees and other native pollinators. The projects will also enhance outreach and organizational coordination.
The monarch butterfly is one of the most iconic species in North America, and its annual migration cycle is one of the most remarkable natural phenomena in the world. However, over the past 20 years, the monarch butterfly population has declined by more than 80 percent throughout much of its range. Several other pollinators have experienced similarly dramatic declines in recent decades. Habitat loss is a primary threat to many of these species.
In 2015, NFWF established the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund, a public–private partnership that funds projects to protect, conserve, and increase habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators. By leveraging the resources and expertise of its partners, the fund is helping to reverse recent population declines and ensure the survival of these valuable species. Since 2015, the fund has awarded $23.8 million to 140 projects that are helping conserve and recover the monarch butterfly while also benefiting other pollinator species. Grantees have matched this investment with an additional $38.9 million for a total on-the-ground impact of $62.7 million.”
Read the full press release below.
THC has been captivated by the Monarch butterfly thanks to our board member, Gina Charpentier. Gina is a wealth of knowledge when it pertains to milkweed, monarchs, and many native plants. She has worked with California State San Luis Obispo and the University of Georgia in the past to receive training on Monarch tagging, as well as OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha) monitoring and reporting. She actively contributes to native Milkweed surveys and monitoring and extensive public education about Monarch preservation via Girl Scout training and projects, as well as other events. Together each year in June, our organization hosts our Monarch butterfly event, where the public is invited to learn and actively participate in native Milkweed planting, and ways they can contribute at home towards the Monarch's survival.
“As a young girl in Corona, I discovered a roadside milkweed plant covered with caterpillars and was completely amazed by their transformation into the beautiful Monarch butterfly. This inspired a lifelong love of nature and conservation and to me installing a Monarch waystation at my home. I also began speaking about the importance of Monarch conservation to local K-12 students, museums, bug fairs, senior centers, and garden clubs. It was this conservation work and Girl Scout volunteering that led me to get involved with Transition Habitat Conservancy.” -Gina
Gina’s passion for the plight of the Monarch has inspired and guided our work here at Transition Habitat Conservancy, where we now conduct annual Monarch and milkweed surveys on our Puma Canyon Ecological Reserve in Pinon Hills, California. On roughly 300 acres of this Reserve, our amazing volunteers like Wendie Marriott and others have recorded just over 100 milkweed plants (Asclepias vestita) on trails alone. Our Reserve and private gardens (once you catch the milkweed bug, you plant your own butterfly gardens!) have contributed to 1,000’s of the Monarchs that overwinter on the coasts of California and contribute to the future of their species. We have 5 years of survey data cataloging our milkweed presence, which greatly contributed to the basis of the work we will perform in this grant.
Work on this grant will begin in 2024, culminating at the end of 2025. This work will accomplish the removal of 120 acres of non-native, invasive plants such as cheatgrass and red brome along our 8 miles of trail systems throughout the Reserve. The area will then be broadcast seeded with our native milkweed and nectar plants for the spring, summer and fall migrants. We will be working closely with California Botanic Gardens to accomplish this seed collection and planting. Additionally, 10 acres will be planted with seedlings of milkweed and nectar plants to compare their success rates.
This grant will also contribute to many new volunteer and internship opportunities at the Reserve. We will be hosting events at schools, our local tri-community events, and more. Opportunities will include milkweed and Monarch surveys and mapping and more!
