“All hands on deck” in Face of Eastern Monarch Declines

In a recent report from the World Wildlife Fund Mexico, scientists noted a 26% decrease in monarch butterfly overwintering population numbers in southern overwintering sites. It is estimated that 6 hectares of hibernating monarchs are required to maintain a sustainable eastern monarch population. This report revealed that monarchs occupied only 2.10 hectares, compared to 2019 data of 2.83 occupied hectares. Scientists attribute this to the degradation of habitat in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and monarch breeding grounds throughout the central United States.

This news comes soon after the announcement of devastatingly low western monarch numbers.  Researchers, industry partners, and advocacy groups are calling for a coordinated transnational effort to protect and support the monarch butterfly migration.  They assert that Canada, the United States, and Mexico must work together if we hope to slow the dramatic losses seen in recent years. Through habitat investment monarch advocates aim to engage everyone in conservation practices. From individuals with small residential outdoor spaces to large land management operations like those of farmers and ranchers, there exist a wide range of interventions available for habitat restoration.

Farmers for Monarchs provides the tools and resources necessary for this “All hands on Deck” approach. Visit the State Resources page to get the information you need to establish habitat on your land.

This blog post was originally published by the Keystone Monarch Collaborative, a coalition facilitated by Keystone Policy Center that is committed through voluntary efforts to restore, enhance, and protect monarch habitat while maintaining producers’ flexibility in their operations.