Monarch Migration in Jeopardy

[Mona Miller]

Monarch Migration in Jeopardy
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/monarch ... y-15743486
Ginger Zee takes a trip to see the glorious but endangered butterfly.

Up Close and Personal With Mexico’s Monarch Butterflies
Reporter’s Notebook by GINGER ZEE
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/ ... tterflies/

[Mona Miller]

http://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the- ... he-details
Here's graphs for the California and Mexico overwintering population.

[Paul Cherubini]

http://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the-monarchs/campaign/the-details
Here's graphs for the California and Mexico overwintering population.

The text on that same webpage states: "Loss of monarchs and milkweed due to roadside management practices, intensive agriculture and the extensive use of herbicides is certainly a factor in this decline. Sustaining the western monarch population will require extensive restoration of milkweeds as well as efforts to protect existing monarch habitats."

But notice the statement: "will require extensive restoration of milkweeds as well as efforts to protect existing monarch habitats" does not define what is meant by "extensive restoration" nor does it specify what is meant by "efforts to protect". Nor are any progress reports given on the Campaign website about what has been accomplished to date toward achieving either of those objectives in the western USA. So we really don't know specifically what the projects goals are nor what timeframe the project hopes to achieve those goals. Nor do we have a means of evaluating the projects success or failure. And what is meant by the phrase "sustaining the western population"? Does it mean sustaining current numbers of monarchs?

[Mona Miller]

What are you doing?

[Paul Cherubini]

What are you doing?

1) I planted a half dozen roadside milkweed test plots last spring, 4 from seed and 2 from plugs. I remains to be seen if any survived and will send up new shoots this coming April.

2) I've been photo documenting the destruction of milkweed in mid-summer by the highway dept mowers and by some farmers so that Xerces can see first hand what the problems are. It remains to be seen if Xerces will attempt to do anything about the mowing.

[Mona Miller]

Xerces has been collecting native seeds and getting those propagated on a large scale in several western states, plus Texas and Florida.

I've posted this website, but you don't seem to be reading it.

http://www.xerces.org/milkweed/
Increasing the Availability of Native Milkweed Seed
"In 2010, with support from the Monarch Joint Venture and a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant, the Xerces Society initiated a multi-state project to increase the availability of milkweed seed for large-scale restoration efforts in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida. Xerces is working with native seed producers and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Plant Materials Program to increase the production of local ecotype native milkweed seed and develop propagation guidelines for various milkweed species."

"To further support this effort, the Xerces Society is:

• raising public awareness about their value for monarchs and native pollinators,

• developing guidelines on using milkweeds in habitat restoration,

• promoting the inclusion of milkweeds in large-scale restoration efforts, and

• working to build new markets for milkweed seed within the native seed industry."

For More Information
"Click on the icons below to read about our milkweed seed increase project, California native milkweeds, and a guide to the native milkweeds of California." [I have provided the pdf files.]
http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/upload ... -01-lr.pdf
The Monarch Flower Partnership
http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/upload ... -guide.pdf
Native Milkweeds (California)
http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/upload ... aft-04.pdf
Guide to Common Milkweeds of California

There's also a survey now:
http://survey.constantcontact.com/surve ... 9/greeting
"Milkweed Population Survey
The Xerces Society, with support from the Monarch Joint Venture, has prepared a short web-based survey to gather information about the location of milkweed stands in the western states that potentially serve as important monarch breeding areas. If you know where milkweed grows, we’d appreciate you completing the survey."

"Agency Partners
The NRCS Plant Materials Program develops innovative planting technology to solve the nation’s most important resource concerns and is a proven leader in conservation plant selection. The Plant Materials Program includes a network of 27 Plant Materials Centers and associated Plant Materials Specialists serving all 50 states and territories. Previous work between the Xerces Society and the NRCS Plant Materials Program has supported the restoration of thousands of acres of pollinator habitat nationwide.
In Florida and New Mexico, Xerces is working with the Brooksville Plant Materials Center and the Los Lunas Plant Materials Center to conduct an initial seed increase of select milkweed species. The seed stock that is produced will be transferred to private native seed producers for commercial-scale production. Xerces is also working with the Great Basin Plant Materials Center in Nevada to utilize on-site milkweed populations as a source of initial seed stock for seed increase work in the Great Basin."

NRCS Plant Materials Program: http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/
Brooksville Plant Materials Center: http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/flpmc/
Los Lunas Plant Materials Center: http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/nmpmc/
Great Basin Plant Materials Center: http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/nvpmc/

Industry Partners
Hedgerow Farms
"The Xerces Society and Hedgerow Farms of Winters, California, have developed a new source of native California milkweed seed for use in large-scale restoration projects across the Central Valley. Through this partnership, 70 pounds of narrow-leaved milkweed seed (Asclepias fascicularis) were produced during the 2010 growing season. Xerces continues to work with Hedgerow Farms to establish seed production field for additional California milkweed species.
Hedgerow Farms specializes in producing high quality seed of source-identified California native grasses, sedges, rushes and forbs, and also sells plug transplants. Hedgerow Farms’ plant materials are used for habitat restoration, agricultural revegetation, erosion control, and urban and rural landscaping. Hedgerow Farms also offers a seed mix developed with the Xerces Society for general pollinator conservation projects in California. http://www.hedgerowfarms.com"

"Native American Seed
Milkweed seedlings at the Native American Seed farm, Junction, Texas. Seeds were planted during April 2011.
Xerces has partnered with Native American Seed, one of the largest native seed producers in Texas, to increase the seed production of two milkweed species, antelope horns (Asclepias asperula ssp. capricornu) and green milkweed (Asclepias viridis). Both species are important host plants for spring migrating monarchs that arrive in Texas upon their return from overwintering sites in Mexico.
Native American Seed offers 100% native and locally harvested wildflower & grass seeds, plant materials that are invaluable for the preservation of a unique genetic diversity and for the restoration of ecosystems. http://www.seedsource.com
For more information about Xerces’ milkweed seed increase project, please contact Brianna Borders (brianna@xerces.org), Plant Ecologist."

Paul have you asked Brianna about specific projects that Xerces is working on?

[Paul Cherubini]

Xerces has been collecting native seeds and getting those propagated on a large scale in several western states, plus Texas and Florida. I've posted this website, but you don't seem to be reading it.

I bet if you wrote to Mary Kennedy or Kip Kiphart in Texas and asked them what they or Xerces has done to get milkweed established along more Texas roadsides and pastures I think they would tell you "nothing" or next to nothing. Indeed, Texas has one of the most aggressive roadside mowing practicies I've ever witnessed.

Paul have you asked Brianna about specific projects that Xerces is working on?

No, but Brianna hasn't volunteered any information or even provided instructions for growing native milkweed. All Xerces appears to be doing is acting like a seed dealer; e.g. they purchase fascicularis seed and/or wildflower seed mixes from seed growers such as Hedgerow Farms and re-sell it at a profit to end users. Some also gets used in NCRS "hedgerow creation" projects on farmland, but those are few and far between, hence contribute very, very little monarch production.

[MonarchsintheDesert]

It might be helpful to step back and look at what the Xerces and Bring Back the Monarch campaigns are about - establishing local seeds for habitat restoration. I know Xerces contacted several entities in AZ like the Desert Botanical Garden, Agua Fria and others to collect both A. subulata and A. asperula seeds and they received funding for their efforts. Local seed growers were then offered funding to grow plants to produce future seeds. Wild Seed in Phoenix was contacted by Xerces for growing but through her own choice over time the owner decided to plant 700 A. subulata on her own. But other growers are working with Xerces. One of the major problems in the West is the lack of a seed bank with milkweed seeds. People and government agencies are interested in creating habitats but the actual seeds to create them are not available. Once seeds are available plugs can be grown for mass plantings. This effort will take time but will eventually aid the process.

The Native Plant Society in AZ funded native milkweed seeds for highway right-of-way planting across the state by elevation two years ago. Several projects are in the works just not publicized since it usually takes time for milkweed to be established.

The Bring Back the Monarch campaign also provides seeds to local plant nurseries to grow milkweed to make them available to the public and private sector. We have several new sources around AZ. Again, this all takes time. But the responsibility to encourage people to grow milkweed will need to come from local advocates - and information is available to support ground-swell efforts. Things won't happen if we wait for others. Our national, state and local funding for major projects have dried up so there will be a huge challenge to influence interest as well as funding for massive habitat restorations.

[Mona Miller]

No one is waiting for others. I myself provide plants and seeds for people locally year after year. Actually, plenty of the members on this forum are doing just what I am doing. I have also provided seeds to the Virginia Native Plant Society, Monarch Watch, and other local groups. This fall I spent several hours at a local farm that provides fall activities. Another Monarch Watch email listserv member and I handed out hundreds of milkweed seeds (with planting directions) and Waystation brochures (provided by Monarch Watch). We also handed out information on local butterflies and gardening. I contacted a gas pipeline company again to see if they could delaying the mowing of a field full of milkweed. This year, they mowed pathways instead of mowing the field. Plenty of other people on this list are doing the same thing. How did I get started caring about Monarchs? I would have to give Monarch Watch the credit.

The Xerces Society and Monarch Watch have started the campaign at the national level and have the backing of both state and federal agencies. I use the material from these conservation groups to teach people about the need for habitat restoration.

Have you contacted Briana? "For more information about Xerces’ milkweed seed increase project, please contact Brianna Borders (brianna@xerces.org), Plant Ecologist."

[MonarchsintheDesert]

Yes, as a matter of fact I was part of the discussion of what milkweeds monarchs favor and are best for consideration for restoration in different elevations of AZ. The SW Monarch Study is listed on the Xerces site under "Monarch conservation and educational organizations" and we participate in the Thanksgiving Monarch Count at their invitation. We also have worked with Monarch Watch to advocate for Monarch Waystations as our conservation effort in AZ and participate in seed gathering for the Bring Back the Monarch Campaign. So, yes, we are actively involved with both Xerces and Monarch Watch.

[Mona Miller]

Paul Cherubini says that Xerces and Monarch Watch aren't doing any thing to help with milkweed restoration. Do you believe this is true?

[Paul Cherubini]

Paul Cherubini says that Xerces and Monarch Watch aren't doing any thing to help with milkweed restoration. Do you believe this is true?

Where did I say "Xerces and MW aren't doing anything to help with milkweed restoration"?

[Mona Miller]

All over this forum and on many listservs. You accuse conservation groups like Xerces and Monarch Watch of doing nothing.

Show me where you have given Monarch Watch and Xerces Society credit for the work they are doing?

[Paul Cherubini]

All over this forum and on many listservs. You accuse conservation groups like Xerces and Monarch Watch of doing nothing.

You specifically wrote: "Paul Cherubini says that Xerces and Monarch Watch aren't doing any thing to help with milkweed restoration."

But you did not quote me. So those are your words you put in my mouth.

[Mona Miller]

I repeat: Show me where you have given Monarch Watch and Xerces Society credit for the work they are doing?

[Paul Cherubini]

I repeat: Show me where you have given Monarch Watch and Xerces Society credit for the work they are doing?

I'm not aware of specific restoration work they have done. As I said in a previous post in this thread: "Brianna hasn't volunteered any information or even provided instructions for growing native milkweed. All Xerces appears to be doing is acting like a seed dealer."

Example: Xerces offers seed for sale on it's website: http://www.xerces.org/pollinator-seed/
As does the Monarch Watch: http://shop.monarchwatch.org/store/p/11 ... d-Kit.aspx

But neither the Xerces nor Monarch Watch websites have photos of milkweed patches they have established along roadsides, railway lines, farm irrigation ditches, pastures and so forth.

But I never wrote: "Paul Cherubini says that Xerces and Monarch Watch aren't doing any thing to help with milkweed restoration." You put those words in my mouth.

[Mona Miller]

Really? What you have written basically says that Xerces and Monarch Watch are doing nothing. You also said you haven't communicated with Briana.