Saving the monarch butterfly
The iconic monarch butterfly is on its northward journey, looking for milkweed to lay its eggs. We see these butterflies feeding on nectar near agricultural fields, in community parks, and in our backyards. We even see them deep in urban settings, among vibrant plantings of coneflowers, coreopsis and milkweed near distribution depots and business headquarters.
Small but mighty urban habitats play a powerful role in supporting monarchs. And corporate campuses can be star contributors. The precipitous decline in the monarch population over the last 20 years has garnered much attention. While many factors contribute to the decline, experts believe that loss of milkweed and nectar sources across the midwest breeding range is a main culprit. An additional 1.8 billion stems of milkweed are needed to stabilize the monarch population, and cities are an unexpected avenue to achieve this goal.
A common perception is that cities are devoid of green space. But monarch butterflies have a different view. Recent work by scientists at Chicago’s Field Museum reveals urban landscapes can contribute nearly one-third of the additional milkweed stems needed to support monarchs.
Planting milkweed and native flowers that monarchs need to survive comes with a suite of benefits for people and business. Monarch habitat
requires less energy-intensive management than do traditional manicured landscapes, lowering water use and maintenance costs over time.
Landscaping that includes monarch habitat counts toward LEED certification and sustainability plans because the deep-rooted plants reduce flooding and store carbon. These lively green spaces are a welcome asset for people, offering opportunities to breathe cleaner air, restore attention and focus and connect with the natural world.
The collective impact of small-scale plantings adds up to giant gains for monarchs and other wildlife. Corporations can champion this effort by creating highly visible landscapes that directly benefit the monarch recovery and inspire people to take their own actions to support pollinators.
We encourage corporations to be a leader and transform their green spaces with native plants and milkweed to save monarchs, lower maintenance costs and provide healthier habitats for people and wildlife.
Dr. Abigail Derby Lewis is director of the Conservation Tools Program at the Field Museum and project lead on the Urban Monarch Conservation Design multicity effort. Adele Simmons is president of Global Philanthropy Partnership, which focuses on sustainability and philanthropy.