Save Endangered Monarchs! A New Pollinator Conservation Program Takes Flight

A Q&A with Conservation Project Manager Ruby Stahel

Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) added migratory monarchs to its threatened species list. With myriad threats to monarch survival, including climate change and habitat destruction, we need to engage in supportive projects to help save the species.

As the Napa RCD Conservation Project Manager, Ruby Stahel’s work focuses on habitat restoration. In response to the need to help monarch protection and proliferation, Ruby has helped create a new conservation program that involves working with local community members to install habitats for local pollinators, including monarchs. Creating these habitats involves cultivating native plant species that help increase biodiversity and improve pollinators’ ecological resiliency.

In this interview, Ruby shares how the program has grown and some of the benefits of pollinator habitats for local ecosystems.

Can you describe how you set out to begin growing pollinator habitats?

Milkweed is the monarch butterfly’s host plant, the only plant monarchs eat and lay their eggs on, so getting more milkweed planted is critical. In the last year, we worked with 17 properties to install about 2.5 acres of pollinator habitats. Most of the properties were agricultural lands due to restrictions stipulated by the funding. A new round of grants that will fund this project in the future will help diversify our reach and the properties where we can install these pollinator habitats. We are excited to begin working with schools and reaching out to the broader community in Napa County.

What was important to the early success of the program?

Working with partners was crucial to our success. The Western Monarch Society of Napa County, founded by super pollinator advocate Erin Arnsteen, is a great partner organization that provides milkweed plants at farmers markets and hosts events where they give them away with instructions on how to use them for cultivating habitats. With the Western Monarch Society, we set up booths next to a church and an apartment complex to give away milkweed plants. We provided pots, soil, and compost instructions on how people can turn their apartment balconies or porches into pollinator habitats. People do not need much space to make a difference for pollinators.

We also work with the Xerces Society, which provides plant material for farmers. Having more partners helps create a more robust on-hand supply in case the plants from one nursery turn out to not be viable for whatever reason.

Finally, the Monarch Joint Venture came out to monitor these projects and collect data to measure their impact. After surveying a few of the sites, the Monarch Joint Venture found signs of eggs, caterpillars, and even adult monarchs! Although little time had passed, the habitats began to directly benefit a diversity of insects to the areas they were installed. Because the Monarch Joint Venture provided such solid and extensive data on the success of these habitat plantings, our partnership with them led to more funding and attracted more people.

Beyond the obvious benefits to pollinators, what are some of the other benefits that these habitats provide to land stewards and communities?

There is a whole host of benefits because the plants that create pollinator habitat are native to this area. Not only are native plants more aesthetically pleasing, they are also more drought-tolerant than non-native plants, so they don’t need to be watered as often. The perennial plantings sequester carbon, which can help mitigate the effects of climate change. Also, having a pollinator habitat near an agricultural property helps foster biodiversity, which creates a more resilient agroecosystem.

What does the work look like for this project moving forward? What are some of the considerations that will help in ensuring ongoing success?

As part of this project, we also created a Monarch Working Group that provides a space for organizations that work with monarchs in Napa County to come together and plan high-impact projects. One of the ideas we came up with was creating best practice hand-outs, particularly for vineyard and agricultural properties (also available in Spanish), as they comprise the majority of the properties where we’ve installed habitats.

We’ve chosen to follow up plantings with ongoing education because pollinator stewardship is not over once you put the plants in the ground. In fall, the milkweed goes dormant, meaning its growth stops to conserve energy for colder temperatures. While dormant, milkweed begins to look ugly and yellow as the caterpillars eat away at it. For someone unaware, milkweed can look like something that needs to be weeded or pulled. Vineyard staff must have this education to prevent contracted landscapers or other workers from inadvertently destroying these habitats during their dormant seasons.

What are some other ways you want to see this program grow?

I hope to see habitats in various places beyond agricultural land. I want to see pollinator habitats become a part of schools and other public areas such as parks. This means that we also need more people involved beyond the farming community. For our existing community of farmers, I want to see more education on best practices for pollinator habitats, and I want to see educational opportunities provided in Spanish.

Learn more about how you can play an important role in reversing the monarch and native pollinator decline by planting and maintaining a pollinator habitat.

Some Other Actions You Can Take to Help:

• Plant native, insecticide-free milkweed species such as A. eriocarpa, A. cordifolia, A. speciosa; A. fascicularis, Asclepias vestita, A. californica
• Plant native insecticide-free flowering nectar plants that are available throughout the season. Local organizations like Napa RCD and Western Monarch Society of Napa County can provide resources to help create an appropriate plant list.
• Do not plant non-native tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) which is, unfortunately, widely available and spreads the pathogen (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha) that can kill monarchs.
• Pay attention to the butterflies! Avoid mowing, burning, and grazing when breeding monarchs are present. Protect your plants from pesticide and herbicide drift, especially neonicotinoids and other systemic insecticides.
• Plant native, insecticide-free milkweed species such as A. eriocarpa, A. cordifolia, A. speciosa; A. fascicularis, Asclepias vestita, A. californica

The Resource Conservation Network gathers and shares the stories and ideas from its partners and colleagues. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the RCDs managing this publication.