HAPPY VOLUNTEERS
Restore a California Western Monarch Butterfly Habitat
Norma Gibbs Park, Huntington Beach, Ca
Photo contributed by Joe & Priscilla Cruz/ Norma Gibbs Park, Huntington Beach, Ca Western Monarch Butterfly Habitat Restoration Project
Monarch Butterfly created by Joe Cruz
More Than Planting a Butterfly Garden...The
Wondrous Western Monarch Butterfly is it " Just a Bug?
"
I have often been asked if planting a Butterfly Garden is really worth all of the time, effort and expense for after all, isn’t a butterfly an insect, " just a bug "?
When I visit schools I meet volunteers & students who really are " Monarch Heroes " planting what looks like lifeless pebbles. Several weeks later, their young faces are radiant with excitement as they discover the seeds they have planted are sprouting butterfly attracting flowers or Milkweed seedlings that have pushed up through the soil. They react from the heart, with joy and exhilaration; getting exercise outside gardening, breathing in fresh air, discovering the luxuriance of green growing vegetation, singing birds, wind blowing through the trees, the fragrance of flowers and the smell of spraying water on the dry garden soil is a value beyond any price.
There are many of us who have not always considered ourselves to be "environmentalists" who are now beginning to understand the importance of the pleas of the world's environmentalists. I always take seriously the words in an often quoted song " this land is your land, this land is my land ". Why should we not help to maintain a healthy ecosystem for the survival of wild creatures and ourselves? Who doesn't want to breathe clean air and drink pure water ? The aesthetic beauty of spending time in a garden of flowers gives peace and comfort to body and soul. The tranquility of gardening brings us up close to nature restoring us from the stresses of modern day lifestyles which are more often than not spent indoors on the computer for hours. Butterfly gardening is a healthy choice for many who are frustrated with the often violent fantasy world of entertainment that has taken away to much precious time that could have been spent outdoors on valuable real life experiences. Lots of us grew up or lived in the small pristine laid back rural communities of America and can recall "wiling away the hours " lying in the tall grass of summer, picking dandelion bouquets, constructing " Daisy Chain necklaces and pulling petals to "He Loves Me" & " He Loves Me Not". Now a badly needed " time out " for creative thought in a pre-packaged world.
I am always inspired by schools and their highly imaginative and creative Monarch Butterfly Program projects and California Western Monarch Day celebrations. It is interesting to note that age ceases to matter to students who are enjoying working with many active and vibrant Senior citizen volunteers. Seniors seem to become magically energized & renewed by giving their time & expertise to the students. They help plant milkweed seeds & butterfly & pollination garden plants. They will always be needed and are an important part of our lives. Tending & weeding the gardens in the spring and summer teaches the importance of discipline, responsibility and the seasons of plant life. Many more life lessons are learned by making new plans for next years garden. The fun in the fall of sweeping up piles of dry curled leaves, especially maple leaves becomes a lesson in art form.
In a world of fast diminishing support systems of old fashioned traditions, community responsibility and family ties, " Monarch Heroes "and their families & communities are building community spirit through living experiences together. They are saving and restoring the threatened habitats of the endangered annual migration of the Western Monarch butterflies. The on-going restoration of the Norma Gibbs Park Western Monarch butterfly over-wintering habitat in Huntington Beach, Ca demonstrates the tremendous effort of several hundred volunteers who are committed to making their community and our world a better place for us and the butterflies. They are taking action and raising public awareness about the plight of the western monarch butterflies endangered migration and habitats.. THANK YOU to Joe & Priscilla Cruz, Norma Gibbs, students & teachers, environmental organizations and many dedicated volunteers. The project was started by and is being successfully directed by Leslie Gilson who is dedicated to the conservation and preservation of California's Western Monarch butterflies.
Every fall the western monarch butterflies spectacular annual migration of thousands of butterflies arrive to spend 6 months of each winter in a few major regular over-wintering habitats on the west coast of California. They are the only over-wintering habitats in the world for the migrating western monarch butterfly. Their annual migrations were declared an endangered phenomenon in 1984. Conservation & management of the monarch habitats, planting butterfly & pollination gardens & milkweed planting (a host plant needed for the monarch’s survival) will all help to ensure the continuation of migrating monarchs.
For years many "Monarch Butterfly Heroes " have persisted in working hard to save habitats and voiced their concern about the destruction of California's habitats which were being lost to development, old age of the groves and infestations. They continue to have the courage to use their talents to save the few remaining major over-wintering habitats of America's environmental treasury of migrating Western Monarch butterflies. The numbers of migratory Monarch butterflies continue to decline. To put it simply, if there are no suitable habitats for the Monarchs to return to each year it means fewer and fewer migrating Monarchs. Although, the monarch's plight was and is a long time politicized issue and problems still exist today, there are many better informed and educated developers like The Woodlands and private land owners who have saved habitats. The tourism industry now recognizes that the monarchs & their habitats are an environmental asset & a unique California attraction. Information about visiting their habitats and migration can now be found on many California hotel and travel websites.
The Woodlands Nipomo Mesa, Nipomo Ca Photo contributed by Siamak Sehat
There are also many new national & international organizations with missions of greater general public education & awareness for the support of conservation, the protection of pollinators, butterflies, rare butterflies and the continuing decline of the endangered population of migrating western monarchs & their threatened major over-wintering habitats. More are needed in the US. It has been pointed out that across the pond, the English for generations have prioritized butterfly conservation as it is considered to be a respected effort and cause. I have often thought about my conversations & correspondence with the famed "first lady of conservation "the late Dame & Honorable Miriam Rothschild whose expertise on Monarch butterflies & loss of pollination corridors ( she left many acres of her estate untouched ) have proven to be so invaluable to me. Recently the Green man publicly acknowledged "Butterfly Activism". His excellent article on butterflies and the lack of popular support for butterflies is very greatly appreciated. " Gardening Activists " have a renewed interest in Victory, community, urban, butterfly & pollination gardening projects which are contributing to less sedentary and healthier lifestyles.
It " bugs me " that "America's favorite butterfly " the western monarchs migration is regarded as an endangered phenomenon and yet are not very well known like California's magnificent Condors or Redwood Forests. Pollinators like the bees, Humming birds and the monarch butterflies are small in size and therefore perhaps not as noticeable, but are huge in terms of their importance to the production of food crops. In a time when the public views of excellent public service and ethical conduct by politicians is not fashionable, and against all odds, in 2005 with the help of then California Senator & former Secretary of State, Bruce McPherson the resolution for the California Western Monarch Day Bill was submitted. The first co-author was Assemblyman, Tom Maddox of Orange County, Ca. The Bill passed unanimously in the Senate and Assembly. A never to be forgotten day for honoring and recognizing all the " Monarch Heroes " who have been trying to save the western migration and major habitats for many years; a day which will forever bring to general public attention the existence of our national environmental treasure of migrating Western Monarch butterflies. California Western Monarch Day is celebrated February 5th of each year.. I will never forget the presentation of the Bill by California Senator, Bruce McPherson and his comment " It is now time for the Western Monarch ". I hope he is right that there is still " time ".
There are " Media Monarch Heroes " who are courageously publicizing the western migration and covering the support of the progress being made by so many who are planting milkweed & butterfly& pollination gardens at school, urban areas and at home too.. Still, the endangered status of the Western Monarch butterflies annual migration, its threatened habitats and its existence are a cause yet not well known to the public. My own children grew up not knowing of their existence or that there was a migration of thousands of Western Monarch butterflies that annually arrive each winter to California's coastal over-wintering habitats. For six months of each winter their habitats are filled with fluttering orange & black Monarch butterflies which can completely cover the limbs of eucalyptus & pine trees. After entering an over-wintering habitat I notice that the longer I stay, the more I feel the embrace of nature, it is always an experience that does not leave me or slip away. In my own " Moments with Monarch Butterflies " I am never quite the same after I leave their magnificent sanctuary.
The Monarch butterfly's miracle metamorphosis has many yet to be discovered and unknown secrets. Recent scientific studies have proven that the migrating monarch butterflies inner navigation system has natures finest GPS system, known as the " circadian clock" which is like no other creatures in existence. Neurobiologists have reported that the information obtained from these studies is of great importance to the study of the human brain. More research must continue. So little is yet known about the Monarchs. A California Western Monarch Butterfly Education, Science & Research Center and a tropical butterfly conservatory are needed and will eventually become a reality.
Dedicated international organizations like Monarch Watch and others are helping to bring knowledge of the Monarch butterflies eastern & western migrations to general public attention. Monarch Watch has established a new Waystation Program. They are well on their way to registering thousands of stations. For many years as a naturalist and western monarch activist for this incredible international and national environmental treasure, I often heard the statement that the plight of the western monarch butterfly migration, an endangered phenomenon, was of no consequence. Although, their numbers are continuing to decline dramatically it was rarely given public comment. Saving the habitats and the migration of the western monarch butterfly was not high on the priority list of environmental causes as after all, the comments were it is "Just a Bug ". The importance of the pollination of food crops can never be understated. For several decades scientists have recognized that there is a world-wide pollinator crisis, as pollination corridors have been and are continuing to be destroyed and fragmented by human progress. The monarch butterfly is a pollinator.
I wonder if we really would feel that a beautiful butterfly is really " Just a Bug " if more of us had the opportunity to experience the drama and magic of a visit to a major habitat on California's coast, or knew the incredible science of the life-cycle of this miracle insect, or realized that both the eastern and western migrations are being studied by thousands of " hands on science students" in classrooms here and around the globe? Surely, the significance of the heroic joint efforts of thousands of teachers, school students, gardening groups, conservation volunteers, organizations and individuals across the US and around the world, who have been working for such a long time to save the annual endangered migrations of the magnificent monarch butterfly will be recognized. The information and photographs on this website are dedicated to their efforts. The Monarch butterfly has become an international symbol for peace, hope, renewal and the protection of the environment of our planet. We encourage and invite you to support schools & orgs. California Western Monarch Day celebrations on Feb 5th, Monarch events, Monarch Butterfly studies & Butterfly & pollination gardening projects, conservation & preservation programs of both the migrating eastern and western monarch butterflies.
Sheila M. Boone
Copyright 2008
For more information on-line see:
Norma Gibbs Park Monarch Butterfly Habitat Restoration Huntington Beach & Orange County Ca newspaper articles
"Recommendations for Restoration of Norma Gibbs Monarch Park " by Creekside Center for Earth Observation, Menlo park Ca
Our Home page " Teacher's Resource & Information Pages " ( California Mission San Miguel Butterfly Garden )
Fullerton Ca School
Website for Images Press " Wile Away the Hours " Marcia Trimble www.images press.com
Grit.com magazine article " Beckon Beneficial Butterflies by Letitcia L. Starr
Page Created by
Chris Fredrickson
Last updated 9-22-08